The Abu Sayyaf announced yesterday it had beheaded American hostage Guillermo Sobero sparking worldwide outrage and condemnation even as authorities in the Philippines last night found a headless torso and another body in the area near where the rebels said hostage's body would be found.

The rebels, who threatened to kill all the other 27 hostages if the government does not halt its military campaign in the southern Philippines, claimed they had beheaded Sobero and dumped his head in the town of Tuburan on north coast the southern island of Basilan.

There was no immediate confirmation of the identity of the torso. Sobrero, a California man was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf group, on May 27 together with 19 others from from the island of Palawan, 560 km south of Manila.

A shocked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called an emergency cabinet meeting, casting a pall over the nation's independence day celebrations. Describing the beheading as "a cowardly act," Arroyo said Sobero's reported murder only strengthened the government resolve "to decimate, once and for all," the terrorist group.

The U.S. embassy and other foreign dignitaries who attended an Independence Day party at the presidential palace expressed outrage at the beheading.
Sobero's wife and teen-aged daughter, in statements made in California, said they were shocked but awaiting confirmation. Sobero's wife Fanny has been in regular contact with the U.S. State Department. The two are divorcing but live together in a Spanish-style house in Corona, where neighbours have tied yellow ribbons around the trees. His three sons aged six, three and two, do not know their father is missing.

Sobero's girlfriend, Maria Fe Rosadena, is among the hostages.
Arroyo blamed Sabaya for not keeping his word that he would not behead the three American hostages, following government approval to allow two foreign negotiators to help resolve the crisis.

In Malaysia, Prime Minister Mohammad Mahathir issued a statement saying his government has not yet officially received a request from the Philippines government for Malaysian negotiators to be involved.