KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 ― The Abu Sayyaf militants who kidnapped and reportedly beheaded Sarawakian engineer Bernard Then yesterday are planning to publish a recording of the gruesome act, according to a report here.

In the report by local English daily The Star, the claim was made by social workers in Jolo, an island in the Sulu province where Then was believed to have been killed.

The social workers also told the daily that Then was beheaded at around 4pm yesterday in the jungles of Butaran hill surrounding Idanan village.

Also citing information from sources in Jolo, The Star reported that both Then and another Malaysian Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, were initially held by the Abu Sayyaf group of Susukan.

When Thien was released, however, another leader named Al Habsy took over, leading to complications over the agreed ransom sum for Then's release.

Malaysian police have not confirmed details of the alleged beheading, which was first picked up by the media in the Philippines.

On Twitter last night, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar acknowledged the reports but said that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) have yet to receive any confirmation.

“@PDRMsia sedang berusha dapatkan pengesahan dari Selatan Filipina. Kita doakan Bernard selamat,” he wrote in another posting.

[Translation: PDRM is working on getting confirmation from southern Philippines. We pray that Bernard is safe]

Filipino news portal Inquirer yesterday quoted Brigadier General Alan Arrojado of the Sulu joint task force group as confirming that Then, 39, was killed after his family failed to comply with the Abu Sayyaf group's ransom demands.

“The family of Bernard Then Ted Fen failed to comply with the demand of the Indanan-based Abu Sayyaf led by sub-leaders Alden Bagade and Idang Susukan during their negotiation that prompted them to execute their plan of beheading the victim in Taran, in Indanan at about 4pm,” the official was quoted saying.

Then, together with Thien was abducted on May 15 from the popular Ocean King seafood restaurant in Sandakan town during peak dinner hours.

The Abu Sayyaf freed Thien last week, but held onto Then after negotiations hit a deadlock.