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John Ridsdel: Hostage from Canada killed in Philippines | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Canadian man held captive by Islamist militants for months in the Philippines has been killed. | |
John Ridsdel, 68, was taken from a tourist resort along with three others by the Abu Sayyaf group in September last year. | |
Confirming the death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it "an act of coldblooded murder". | |
On Monday a severed head was found on a remote Philippine island, hours after an Abu Sayyaf ransom deadline expired. | On Monday a severed head was found on a remote Philippine island, hours after an Abu Sayyaf ransom deadline expired. |
The Philippine army has not confirmed if it belonged to one of the captives. | |
Mr Ridsdel was kidnapped along with another Canadian, Robert Hall; a Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad; and a Filipino woman, Mr Hall's girlfriend, Marites Flor. | |
They had appeared in a video appealing for their release after the militants demanded millions of dollars in ransom for each hostage. | |
Former mining executive | |
"It's hard," a friend of Mr Ridsdel, Bob Rae, told CBC News. "It's just very hard. I've been involved behind the scenes for the last six months trying to find a solution and it's been very painful." | |
A former mining executive, Mr Ridsdel is described by Canadian media as semi-retired. | |
He also worked as a journalist. | |
Offering his condolences, Mr Trudeau gave few details, saying he would not compromise the safety of the other captives. | |
Abu Sayyaf was set up in the 1990s with funding from al-Qaeda, and are fighting for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines. | Abu Sayyaf was set up in the 1990s with funding from al-Qaeda, and are fighting for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines. |
One of its commanders recently pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State. The group is also holding several other foreigners. |