Canadian hostage killed by Philippine extremists

MANILA, Philippines - The decapitated head of a white male found Monday night in the southern Philippines belonged to a Canadian taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf militants in September, CanadianPrime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed in a statement Monday.

"I am outraged by the news that a Canadian citizen, John Ridsdel, held hostage in the Philippines since Sept. 21, 2015, has been killed at the hands of his captors," Trudeau said. "Canada condemns without reservation the brutality of the hostage takers, and this unnecessary death. This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests squarely with the terrorist group who took him hostage."

Trudeau said his government will work with the government of the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for this “heinous act" against Ridsdel, of Calgary, Alberta.

"On behalf of the government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to expres my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Ridsdel," Trudeau said. "They have endured a terrible ordeal and this is a devastating moment for all of them."

Wrote Brad Wall, the premier of Saskatchewan, on social media: "It heightens our awareness to this global threat of terrorism that we ought never to take lightly. As a nation, we must always remain vigilant and bring individuals who wish to cause us harm, like those in this al-Qaeda linked group, to justice."

Two men on a motorcycle left Ridsdel’s head, placed inside a plastic bag, along a street in Jolo town in Sulu province and then fled, Jolo police chief Supt. Junpikar Sitin said.

Abu Sayyaf militants had threatened to behead one of three men — two Canadians and a Norwegian — they kidnapped last September f-rom a marina on southernSamal Island if a large ransom was not paid by 3 p.m. Monday.

Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin condemned the beheading, blaming Abu Sayyaf militants, who have been implicated in past kidnappings, beheadings and bombings.

“This is such a barbaric act by these people and one would be tempted to think that they should also meet the same fate,” Amin said by telephone.

The militants reportedly demanded $6.5 million for each of the foreigners, a reduction f-rom their earlier demands.

The hostages were believed to have been taken toJolo Island in Sulu, a jungled province whe-re the militants are thought to be holding a number of captives, including 14 Indonesian and four Malaysian crewmen who were abducted at gunpoint f-rom three tugboats starting last month.

“Maximum efforts are being exerted … to effect the rescue,” the military and police said in a joint statement, without divulging details of the rescue operation, which was ordered by President Benigno Aquino III.

About 400 Abu Sayyaf militants were involved in the kidnappings, it said.

In militant videos posted online, Ridsdel and fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino Marites Flor were shown sitting in a clearing with heavily armed militants standing behind them. In some of the videos, a militant positioned a long knife on Ridsdel’s neck. Two black flags hung in the backd-rop of lush foliage.

Canadian tourist John Ridsdel, 68
who was kidnapped by gunmen on
September 21 on Samal Island.
A Canadian held hostage by Islamic
militants in the Philippines has
been executed, Canadian
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
announced on April 25, 2016.
 (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)




The abductions highlight the long-running security problems hounding the southern Philippines, a region with bountiful resources that also suffers f-rom poverty, lawlessness and decades-long Muslim and communist insurgencies.

The Abu Sayyaf began a series of large-scale abductions after it emerged in the early 1990s as an offshoot of a separatist rebellion by minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation’s south.

It has been weakened by more than a decade of Philippine offensives but has endured largely as a result of large ransom and extortion earnings. The United States and the Philippines have both listed the group as a terrorist organization.

Contributing: The Associated Press