M'sia condemns killing of hostage
Published on: Thursday, April 28, 2016
Putra Jaya: Malaysia on Wednesday strongly condemned the murder of a Canadian national taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in the southern Philippines in September last year. The Foreign Ministry said the Malaysian Government also extended its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Canada and to the family of John Ridsdel who was beheaded on Monday. In a statement, the ministry said the Malaysian Government had called on the Philippine government to intensify efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
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It said the Malaysian Government also urged the Philippine government to pursue efforts towards securing the release of the remaining hostages. Ridsdel, 68, was kidnapped from a marina near the city of Davao along with another Canadian, Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and a Philippine woman, Mr Hall's girlfriend Marites Flor. They were taken 500km to the island of Jolo. The Abu Sayyaf released a video of the hostages in November in which it demanded US$80 million for their release.
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