Captors release video of Canadian hostages Robert Hall and John Ridsdel

Two men who identify themselves as Canadians who were taken hostage last month in the Philippines have appeared at gunpoint in a video that is circulating online. I know that there’s people that can find a way to do this.

A guard, armed with a huge bolo, held Ridsdel by the head as he spoke, and at one point his voice trembled and he appeared terrified just like the other hostages who were surrounded with over a dozen masked gunmen.

Near the end of the video, one gunman addresses the Canadian and Philippine governments, demanding the end of all military operations in the region.

The footage is the first to be made of the four – two Canadians, a Filipino, and a Norwegian – since they were abducted from a resort on the Filipino island of Samar on September 21.

Circled by heavily armed masked men flanked by the distinctive black-and-white flags of Islamic State, the hostages begged the Philippine military to halt recent strikes on Abu Sayyaf bases.

“Please stop all of these operations so that negotiations can start about, with the, about their demands”, he says to the camera.

In the video, Ridsdel referred specifically to nearby artillery fire and to overhead flights. “Once you meet our requirements, then we can talk about negotiation”, a militant standing behind Hall and Ridsdel says before shouting “Takbir”.

The military operations could not be independently verified.

Bulao, spokesman for the Western Mindanao command, said the assault was aimed at Radullan Sahiron, who is on the U.S. government’s list of most wanted “terrorists”.

Arrojado, who has been leading months of offensives against Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu, a predominantly Muslim province about 950 kilometers (590 miles) south of Manila, said the assaults would not stop.

But army and police officials have previously denied the report, and the authorities could not say on Tuesday whether the hostages were taken to the island.

A gunman also read out a statement repeating the demand for artillery attacks to stop, and saying the kidnappers were ready to negotiate for the hostages’ release.

Aboo Rami, an Abu Sayyaf spokesman, has told a radio station in Zamboanga City that ransom was paid for the safe release of the Germans and even posted a photo of the stacks of money on Tweeter. Although no one taken hostage, two security guards at the Pearl Farm resort were killed.