Germany condemns beheading of Abu Sayyaf captive

BERLIN (Philippine News Agency/Xinhua) — The German government on Monday condemned the killing of a German citizen by the Abu Sayyaf.

The Islamist extremists published a video showing the beheading of 70-year-old Juergen Gustav Kantner.

Kantner was abducted in early November when he encountered the terrorist group. He was traveling with his partner Sabine Merz off Sabah in Malaysia. Merz was killed on the scene by the militants.

The Abu Sayyaf had demanded a ransom of P30 million Philippine by Sunday. Both Philippine and German governments stuck to a no-ransom policy and did not give any money.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the act as "barbaric" and "abhorrent", and called on the world to form a united front against terrorism.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert also expressed his shock, calling the incident an unscrupulous and inhuman act.

The Abu Sayyaf Group is believed to have links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.