Body of beheaded US hostage discovered

The beheaded body of a US hostage held in Saudi Arabia was found by Saudi authorities this evening.

The find came after the al-Qaida group which kidnapped Paul M Johnson Jr confirmed in an online statement tonight that it had killed the hostage – and posted three still photographs of his beheaded body.

Saudi security officials said later that the body of Mr Johnson had been found just outside Riyadh.

The officials said police had cordoned off the area, blocking all roads leading to the al-Munisiyah district, 25 miles northeast of the capital.

"Let him taste something from what Muslims tasted who were long reached by Apache helicopter fire and missiles," the internet statement said.

Johnson, aged 49, worked on targeting and night vision systems for Apache helicopters.

Johnson was kidnapped last weekend by militants who threatened to kill him by Friday if the kingdom did not release its al-Qaida prisoners.

Earlier, the Arab satellite network Al-Arabiya reported that Johnson had been beheaded.