Robert Hall
Born(1949-11-05)November 5, 1949
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
DiedJune 13, 2016(2016-06-13) (aged 66)
Philippines
Cause of deathBeheading
Body discoveredPatikul, Sulu, Philippines
OccupationWelder

Robert Ward Hall (5 November 1949 – 13 June 2016) was a Canadian citizen kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the Philippines on 21 September 2015, and beheaded nine months later near Patikul, Sulu.[1][2][3]

Early life and career

Hall was born in Calgary, Alberta. One of five siblings, he grew up in the city's Midnapore district. A welder by trade, Hall was also an experienced pilot and an amateur actor.

Kidnapping and death

Hall was kidnapped for ransom by Abu Sayyaf militants in the Philippines on 21 September 2015 in a raid on Holiday Ocean View Samal Resort on Samal Island near Davao in the southern Philippines. After gunmen disarmed the resort's security guards, four people were abducted: Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, resort marina manager Kjartan Sekkingstad (Norway), and Teresita Flor (Hall's Filipina girlfriend) who was released later in the month that Hall was beheaded.[4][5]

Abu Sayyaf demanded $6 million for Hall's ransom.[6] Negotiations for his release failed, and Hall was beheaded on 13 June 2016.

The last of this hostage group, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, was released in September 2016. Hall's sister then felt free to speak openly and criticize the failure of the government of Canada to do anything decisive or effective to attempt rescue or save her brother.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Philippines condemns Abu Sayyaf killing of Canadian Robert Hall". BBC. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  2. ^ Markusoff, Jason (13 June 2016). "Remembering Robert Hall, a lifelong dreamer". Macleans. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  3. ^ VanderKlippe, Nathan (25 September 2016). "Canadian abducted in the Philippines was in search of paradise". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  4. ^ The Associated Press (22 September 2015). "Former Calgary journalist among 4 abducted by gunmen on Philippine island". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2019 – via CBC.ca.
  5. ^ "Marites Flor: Philippine Abu Sayyaf militants release Filipina hostage". ABC News. ABC Australia. BBC. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2018 – via abc.net.au.
  6. ^ Sherwell, Philip (23 May 2016). "How Abu Sayyaf makes a business of beheadings as Islamist terror gang releases 'final message' hostage video". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  7. ^ CBC Radio (23 September 2016). "Sister of Robert Hall, killed Canadian hostage, says government did little to save him". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2016 – via CBC.ca.
  8. ^ Hookway, James (18 November 2016). "Terror Grows in Southern Philippines From Militants Linked to Islamic State Kidnappings, beheadings by Abu Sayyaf raise fears of expanding terror threat in Southeast Asia". Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
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