A U.S. group that monitors jihadi websites says Muslim militants in the Philippines have a released a video showing the beheading of Canadian hostage John Ridsdel.
Ridsdel, 68, of Calgary, was one of four tourists — including fellow Canadian Robert Hall, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman — who were kidnapped last Sept. 21 by Abu Sayyaf militants.
The SITE Intelligence Group says Abu Sayyaf has also released a video of the three remaining hostages, threatening to behead them if their demands are not met.
SITE’s director Rita Katz has tweeted that the beheading video is “brutal, barbaric, extremely graphic, and most disturbing.”
She says the remaining hostages are seen in the video asking the Canadian and Philippines governments for help.
Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the cold-blooded killing and said Canada would not pay ransom to terrorist groups.
The group and allied gunmen are believed to be holding 22 hostages from six countries.
The Canadian Press
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