Abu Sayyaf threatens to kill German hostage

Filipino terror organisation Abu Sayyaf has released a video threatening to behead a German hostage if Berlin fails to pay a $10 million ransom for his release.

"We are giving you an ultimatum to fulfil our demands. Failure to pay the ransom will cause the beheading of this German citizen," one of the three masked kidnappers dressed in black said in the release late Wednesday night.

Juergen Kantner, 70, was kidnapped in November from Malaysian waters, near the state of Sabah, which borders southern Philippines, Efe news reported.

"To the German government, it seems that you are not paying attention to our demands because of your arrogance. Have you not learnt anything?" said the kidnapper, stressing that all infidels will be targeted.

Last year, Abu Sayyaf, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, beheaded two Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, after the Canadian government did not pay the ransom demanded by the group.

On November 7, while Kantner and his wife were on a yacht, the terrorists allegedly boarded the boat, shot and killed the woman, whose body was later found by Filipino authorities, and kidnapped Kantner.

According to Filipino authorities, the terrorists are currently holding captive five Filipinos, seven Malaysians, six Vietnamese, two Indonesians, one South Korean and one Dutch.

--IANS

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