Philippines-based militant group Abu Sayyaf beheads German hostage - SITE

Government troops conduct checkpoint operations for the German kidnap victim who was believed to be executed by Islamist militant group Abu Sayyaf in Indanan town, Sulu province, Philippines February 27, 2017. REUTERS/Nickee Butlangan

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines and Germany condemned on Monday the beheading of an elderly German captive by Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants who posted a video of the killing after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed.

The video showed a machete-wielding militant behead Jurgen Kantner. The German had appealed for help twice in short video messages, saying he would be killed if ransom were not paid.