London  – The British government said Wednesday that it believed that a British citizen kidnapped in Mali had been executed by al-Qaeda militants.

In a statement, Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the reported killing of Edwin Dyer, who was kidnapped in Niger in January, but held in Mali, as an “appalling and barbaric act of terrorism.”

In a statement posted on an Islamist website, the group said it had killed Dyer after the British government failed to respond to its demands.

The militant group had threatened to kill Dyer unless radical Muslim cleric and convicted Jordanian extremist Abu Qatada was released from prison in Britain.

A ransom was also reported to have been demanded.

“We have strong reason to believe that a British citizen Edwin Dyer has been murdered by an al Qaeda cell in Mali. I utterly condemn this appalling and barbaric act of terrorism. My thoughts are with Edwin Dyer’s family,” Brown’s statement said.

Dyer and a Swiss tourist were kidnapped in Niger, close to the border with Mali, after visiting a music festival. (dpa)