Abu Sayyaf claims to have kidnapped German, killed woman

The Philippine military is trying to verify a claim by Abu Sayyaf militants that they have kidnapped a German man from a yacht and shot and killed his girlfriend.

Regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan today said that Abu Sayyaf spokesman Muamar Askali had claimed the militants kidnapped Juegen Kantner and killed his companion while the couple were cruising off neighboring Malaysia.

Tan says it's not clear why the woman was killed but it's possible she may have fought back or tried to escape.

Tan says villagers reported finding a dead woman lying beside a shotgun on board a yacht with the German flag off southern Sulu province, where the militants take their hostages.