A radical Islamist group based in Nigeria today claimed it has k**led seven hostages, believed to include one Briton.
Ansaru seized the men on February 16 from a construction company operating in the northern part of the country.
Local reports suggest that the group executed the hostages after British warplanes were reportedly seen in the country, leading the terrorists to believe a rescue operation was imminent.
The group, also known as the Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa, released a statement saying that they had executed the hostages because of a planned rescue by British and Nigerian forces.
The message, issued in both Arabic and English, was accompanied by screen shots of a video purporting to show gunmen showing the the dead hostages.
A report appeared in a local newspaper two weeks ago reporting that five British 'bomber jets' had been spotted at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The report suggested that the planes, allegedly marked 'Royal Army', may have been planning to launch a rescue operation for the hostages.
Published in 'Leadership Weekend', the report quoted a military official linking the presence of the British jets with an operation, but British high commissioner in Nigeria, Rob Fitzpatrick, told the publication: 'This is routine military-to-military engagement.'
The message posted online by Ansaru contained links to the report.
The message, identified as coming from Ansaru, could not be immediately verified.
The group of hostages are thought to include citizens from Lebanon, Britain, Greece, Italy and the Philippines.
They were all employees of Setraco, a Lebanese construction company with an operation in Bauchi state.
Both British and Nigerian officials have yet to comment on the incident.
British authorities have previously linked Ansaru to the May 2011 kidnapping of Christopher McManus, who was abducted with Italian Franco Lamolinara from a home in Kebbi state.
The men were held for months before being murdered by their captors in March 2012 during a failed Nigerian military raid backed by British special forces in Sokoto, the main city in Nigeria's northwest.
The message, posted to an Islamic extremist website today, said Ansaru members k**led the hostages after British warplanes were seen in Bauchi, in the country's northern region, by Nigerian journalists.
The statement read: 'As a result of this operation, the seven hostages were k**led.'
Following the initial attack and capture of the hostages in February, Ansaru issued a short statement caliming responsibility.
Thee workers were captured from a company camp at Jama'are, a town about 125 miles north of Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi state.
The attack saw gunmen first assault a local prison and burn police trucks, before the the attackers blew up a fence at the compound, k**ling a guard as they took over the area.
The gunmen were organised, leaving the Nigerian household staff members at the residence unharmed, while the foreigners were quickly abducted, according to witnesses.
In January, the Ansaru described itself as a splinter group independent from Boko Haram, widely regarded the north's main terrorist group.
SOURCE DAILYMAIL UK
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