Muslim head chopping cult strikes in Philippines

BBC:

Abu Sayyaf militants have decapitated seven hostages and sent their heads to troops on the southern Philippine island of Jolo, the military says.

The men - six construction workers and a factory worker, all of whom were Christian - were seized on Monday near the town of Parang in Jolo.

The military has vowed to intensify its efforts to track down the group.

Philippine troops have been fighting Islamic militants holed up in Jolo's mountainous terrain for several months.

Abu Sayyaf is the smallest of four Muslim rebel groups in the Philippines, with about 400 members.

The group is thought to have links with both al-Qaeda and the regional militant group Jemaah Islamiah, and has been blamed for a number of kidnappings and bombings in the region.

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They seem quite proud of their war crimes. It would be better if the media would identify them as such. The media aspect of their warfare involves creating spectacles such as this and the media should be wise enough not to let themselves become a tool for the enemy that would cut off its head too given the opportunity. The way to defeat the media aspect of the campaign is to reinforce the message that these people are unlawful combatants who are perpetrating war crimes.