German hostage beheaded by Abu Sayyaf terrorists

Islamist militants in the Philippines have reportedly beheaded a German man who, eight years ago, survived being held for nearly two months by Somali pirates.

According to reports that security officials said they have yet to fully verify, Abu Sayyaf  murdered Mr Jurgen Kantner, 70, after the collapse of talks for his release in exchange for a 30 million-peso (S$854,000) ransom.

"Despite efforts exerted by groups and the security forces, I have received reports about the alleged beheading of a German kidnap victim in Sulu (on) Sunday afternoon," Mr Jesus Dureza, President Rodrigo Duterte's peace adviser and chief hostage negotiator, said in a statement he issued late on Sunday evening (Feb 26).

A police report released earlier in the afternoon said Mr Kantner,  a sailing enthusiast, was executed at around 3.30pm, on Sunday (Feb 26), in Buanza district, Indanan town, Sulu province, 1,500km south of the capital Manila.

Mr Kantner was beheaded by men under a certain Muammar Askali, alias Abu Rami, purportedly a unit leader of the brutal Abu Sayyaf group, linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.