German hostage killed by terrorist Abu Sayyaf

terrorists have brutally murdered a German in the Philippines after more than three months of hostage. The terrorist group Abu Sayyaf published a video showing the decapitation of the 70-year-old man.

Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the act as "barbaric" and "abominable" and called for a determined fight against terrorism.

The man had been abducted at the beginning of November, when he was traveling with his companion in the waters between the Philippines and Malaysia. The 59-year-old woman was shot in the attack. Her body was later discovered on the abandoned yacht of the two, the "Rockall".

In the south of the majority Catholic Philippines, Muslim separatists have been struggling for autonomy since the 1960s. Under the influence of al-Qaeda, the organization Abu Sayyaf arose in 1991 . In 2014, she swore the loyalty of the terrorist Islamic state (IS).

"The Federal Chancellor condemns the abominable act, which shows once again how unscrupulous and inhumane these terrorists are," said government spokesman Steffen Seibert. "We must all stand together and fight against them."

The Philippine government had first confirmed the authenticity of the two-minute-long execution video . The German security authorities thoroughly examined the recordings before the Federal Foreign Office also declared them authentic. "There is no longer any reasonable doubt, that the Germans kidnapped in the Philippines are no longer alive," said a Foreign Ministry spokesman in the afternoon. "We are deeply shocked by the inhuman and cruel actions of the perpetrators."

The couple had been abducted with his boat in 2008 , then off the coast of Somalia. After more than 50 days the two got free of ransom.

Last autumn, they were on the road to the Sulu Sea at the time of the abduction, which is considered one of the most dangerous sailing routes because of the pirates. The German Foreign Office "strongly advises" not to travel to the region. The island of Jolo has been known for decades as a high fortress by Abu Sayyaf ("bearer of the sword"). The terrorist group fighting for autonomy from the central government in Manila is financed with abductions. In many cases, she also had Germans in her power.

A counselor of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Jesus Dureza, said in the evening in Manila: "We all tried our best. But without success. "Dureza had already spoken on Sunday of references to the decapitation of the German hostage.

Abu Sayyaf had threatened with the assassination of the man if a ransom of 30 million Philippine pesos (around 570,000 euros) was not paid until Sunday 8.00 CET. The Philippine government itself does not usually pay any ransom. The Federal Government does not, in principle, provide information on ransom money negotiations. The last sign of the sailor came from the middle of February, when the German begged for help in a videotape. Shortly before the end of the deadline, the Philippine Air Force had attacked despite the danger for the hostages of Abu Sayyaf. In the region about 60 fighters are suspected. As a military speaker announced, Bodentruppen also prepared for an offensive on Jolo. The terrorist group has already appeared several times with brutal actions: In the year 2000 it abducted 21 tourists from a diving island in Malaysia to the Philippines. Among them was a German family, which only after months in the jungle against ransom money freikam. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault declared the solidarity of his country with Germany and the Philippines. "In this difficult time, France is at the side of the German authorities and the German people," Ayrault said on Monday.