Canadian hostage murdered by ISIS affiliates in the Philippines

Sad to hear of this poor chap kidnapped several months ago from a holiday resort by Islamic extremist, his severed head was found today by the roadside with Abu Sayyaf claiming responsibility;

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36132382

That is just horrible. Poor guy.

Its hard to imagine being on holiday on a pleasant island enjoying yourself and then getting kidnapped at gunpoint, lets hope the other hostages still held fair better and are rescued or released without harm.

If the aforementioned island was southern Mindanao it probably would be better not to go there in the first place but that said it's truly despicable. No doubt if a British tourist had been kidnapped he would have suffered the same fate being that our government don't openly pay ransoms in cases just like this.

Its sort of a catch 22 when it comes to Governments paying ransoms to kidnappers, I can fully understand both sides of the argument.

Indeed. If governments pay then these terrorists have their own 'cottage industries' to making good money but of course if it happened to one of our own family we would be pleading to pay them.

only way is to fight fire with fire.

Its definitely a delicate one, I wouldn't like to be the one telling the hostages family that we're not going to pay the ransom.

It often makes me wonder in cases like this whether or not the perpetrators are just hiding behind the terrorist mask and they are actually just common criminals out to make a fast buck.

I agree but its finding them that always seems to be the problem in kidnappings like this.

Insurance companies pay ransom to pirates all the time wouldnt want to loose an asset I guess Citizens not worth as much as a tanker

That's a very good point indeed Mr Keith, that says a lot.

I agree. These scumbags don't even deserve to be referred to as terrorists. They'd only see that as a compliment anyway.

Just a bunch of murdering losers trying to get some money.

Its very difficult to comprehend the mentality of the kidnappers, what are they made of?

Not all off Mindanao has a problem, in the south security is tight and I have never felt safer when being in Davao or General Santos.

Very sad for the family and friends of those held and also the man slaughtered.

Some useful links


https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines/terrorism

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines

"Not all off Mindanao has a problem, in the south security is tight and I have never felt safer when being in Davao or General Santos."

I feel pretty safe in Mindanao too but there is always an edge there that there just isn't in other places in the Philippines. Westerners have been abducted by criminals in Manila before, but what follows is usually extortion and murder. No western foreigner has ever been kidnapped-for-ransom like this Canadian was, from any place in the Philippines other than Mindanao.

Not too clever with choosing your username are you, Whipster, "Callippo" being a brand of ice lolly made by Unilever ...

​

They know the names of these scum...Kidnap their families and then negotiate..

Aah... I thought I'd seen those 'lecture' style posts before.

Mark still doing that? I thought he had left