LONDON -- HSBC has fired six employees who staged a mock Islamic State (ISIS) group-style execution during a team-building exercise.
The Sun newspaper reported Tuesday the footage posted online showed five workers wearing overalls and balaclavas laughing as a South Asian colleague wearing an orange jumpsuit knelt at their feet.
One held a coat hanger as a pretend knife while another held the kneeling man by the shoulders. One employee then yells "Allahu Akbar!" — Arabic for "God is great" — a phrase often used before hostages are slain.
HSBC says in a statement it had fired those involved in the "abhorrent" video as soon as the The Sun brought it to their attention and apologized for any offense the video caused.
Once we saw this abhorrent video released by @TheSun we took the decision to sack the individuals involved. We apologise for any offence.— HSBC UK Press Office (@HSBC_UK_Press) July 6, 2015