Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the killing of a man held hostage by Islamist militants is “cold-blooded murder”.
John Ridsdel, a Canadian held hostage in the Philippines, “has been killed at the hands of his captors,” Trudeau said in a statement on Monday.
“This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests squarely with the terrorist group who took him hostage,” Trudeau said.
Ridsdel had been held hostage with three others since September of last year.
In March the Islamist militants released a video that appeared to show the captives pleading for their lives, as armed masked men stood behind them.
Trudeau said Canada would not comment or release any information that could compromise the other hostages’ safety or ongoing efforts to release them but expressed his “deepest condolences” to the family and friends of Ridsdel.
