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Video Shows Beheading of German Hostage, Philippines Says Video Shows Beheading of German Hostage, Philippines Says
(35 minutes later)
MANILA — The Philippines said on Monday that a man shown being beheaded in a video was a 70-year-old German who had been abducted by the Abu Sayyaf militant group three months ago while traveling with his partner on their yacht. MANILA — The Philippines said on Monday that a man shown being beheaded in a video was a 70-year-old German who was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf militant group three months ago while traveling on a yacht with his partner.
A short video posted by Abu Sayyaf on various sites affiliated with the militants showed the hostage, Jürgen Kantner, hogtied and slumped to the ground with a machete-wielding militant behind him. A short video posted on various sites affiliated with Abu Sayyaf militants showed the hostage, Jürgen Kantner, hogtied and slumped to the ground with a machete-wielding militant behind him.
The gruesome images, which run for less than two minutes, show a bearded and disheveled looking man identified by the Philippine authorities as Mr. Kantner, faintly saying “now they’ll kill me.” The gruesome video, which runs for less than two minutes, shows a bearded and disheveled man identified by the Philippine authorities as Mr. Kantner, faintly saying, “Now they’ll kill me.”
The government said it was trying to recover the body of Mr. Kantner, who also had been abducted in 2008, off the coast of Somalia. He and his partner, Sabine Merz, had been held for 52 days in Somalia before their captors freed them, reportedly after a six-figure ransom had been paid. The government said it was trying to recover Mr. Kantner’s body He and his partner, Sabine Merz, had been abducted once before, off Somalia in 2008, and they were held for 52 days before being freed, reportedly after a six-figure ransom was paid.
“We grieve as we strongly condemn the barbaric beheading of yet another kidnap victim,” said Jesus Dureza, an adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte. “Up to the last moment, many sectors, including the armed forces of the Philippines exhausted all efforts to save his life. We all tried our best, but to no avail.” “We grieve as we strongly condemn the barbaric beheading of yet another kidnap victim,” said Jesus Dureza, an adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte. “Up to the last moment, many sectors, including the armed forces of the Philippines, exhausted all efforts to save his life. We all tried our best, but to no avail.”
Mr. Dureza said he had been in close contact with the German authorities. A German Foreign Ministry spokesman, Martin Schäfer, said the government could not assess whether the video was authentic, citing “the shortness of time.” Security officials would examine the “shocking” video, Mr. Schäfer said. Mr. Dureza said he had been in close contact with the German authorities. A German Foreign Ministry spokesman, Martin Schäfer, said the government had not been able to assess whether the video was authentic, citing “the shortness of time.” But he added that security officials would examine the “shocking” video.
He declined to give further information on the abduction or possible ransom claims, but added that as a matter of principle, public statements were not helpful in abduction cases. Mr. Schäfer declined to give further information on the abduction or possible ransom claims, but as a matter of principle, he said, public statements were not helpful in abduction cases.
Mr. Kantner was seen in a video released by the militants earlier this month in which he said the Islamist militants would behead him soon if they did not receive a ransom. Mr. Kantner appeared in a video released this month in which he said the Islamist militants would behead him soon if they did not receive a ransom.
Abu Sayyaf had demanded $600,000 for Mr. Kantner, and had set a deadline of Monday for the German and Philippine governments to comply. The Philippine authorities found the couple’s 53-foot yacht last year, and a dead woman later identified as Ms. Merz. Abu Sayyaf had demanded $600,000 for Mr. Kantner and had set a deadline of Monday for the German and Philippine governments to comply.
Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay Jr. said the Philippines would stick to its policy of refusing to pay ransom and that it would seek technological help from its allies to pinpoint the locations of remaining hostages. The Philippine authorities found the couple’s 53-foot yacht last year, and a dead woman was later identified as Ms. Merz.
Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay Jr. said the Philippines would stick to its policy of refusing to pay ransom and that it would seek technological help from its allies to pinpoint remaining hostages.
“We will undertake our operations to make sure we give a premium to saving the lives of the hostages and precisely because of this our task has not been easy but we are prepared to crush them when the opportunity comes,” he said in Geneva, where he was attending a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council.“We will undertake our operations to make sure we give a premium to saving the lives of the hostages and precisely because of this our task has not been easy but we are prepared to crush them when the opportunity comes,” he said in Geneva, where he was attending a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Although Abu Sayyaf is relatively small, it has been responsible for some of the country’s worst terrorist attacks, including bombings, killings and the targeting of foreign nationals. Although Abu Sayyaf is relatively small, with fewer than 500 members, it has been responsible for some of the country’s worst terrorist attacks, including bombings, killings and the targeting of foreign nationals.
Early last decade, it kidnapped a group of Asian, European and American tourists who were later ransomed for millions of dollars, according to military intelligence, and the group was blamed for a ferry bombing in 2004 that left more than 100 dead in what is considered the worst terrorist attack to strike the Philippines. Early last decade, it kidnapped a group of Asian, European and American tourists who were later ransomed for millions of dollars, according to military intelligence, and the group was blamed for a ferry bombing in 2004 that left more than 100 dead, considered the worst terrorist attack to strike the Philippines.
Abu Sayyaf, or Bearers of the Sword, has fewer than 500 members, in mostly poor areas in the southern islands of Basilan and Sulu. Despite its small size, it has rebuffed countless military offensives and remains a serious threat, often using abductions to raise funds and killing hostages when ransoms are not paid. Last year, the militants beheaded two Canadians and a Filipino it had seized separately. Abu Sayyaf, or Bearers of the Sword, operates in mostly poor areas in the southern islands of Basilan and Sulu. Despite its small size, it has rebuffed countless military offensives and remains a serious threat, often using abductions to raise funds and killing hostages when ransoms are not paid. Last year, the militants beheaded two Canadians and a Filipino it had seized separately.
Mr. Dureza said terrorism had no place in a democratic country, and he promised that the government of President Duterte — which has been fighting a violent antidrug campaign that has been severely criticized by human rights groups — would “confront violent extremism.” Mr. Dureza said terrorism had no place in a democratic country, and he promised that Mr. Duterte’s government, which has been fighting a violent antidrug campaign that has been severely criticized by human rights groups, would “confront violent extremism.”
“A precious life had been needlessly lost,” he said. “There must be a stop to this killing of the innocent and the helpless.”“A precious life had been needlessly lost,” he said. “There must be a stop to this killing of the innocent and the helpless.”