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Droukdal claims to have negotiated with Paris
 The leader of al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abdelmalek Droudkal, said he negotiated with Paris for the release of the French hostage Michel Germaneau before the operation that led to his execution according to a complete message broadcast Sunday by Islamist websites."Shame on France and its president, who launched their raids while negotiations were under way," said the head of AQIM in this audio message, of which excerpts had already been released July 25 by the Al- Jazeera Channel to announce the execution of the hostage. The French authorities never reported negotiations to free the hostage. Thus, on July 26, the French Minister of Defense, Herve Morin, had indicated that Paris could not have "any discussion" with the kidnappers of Michel Germaneau. " The death of Michael Germaneau is announced through an ultimatum (launched July 11) without any discussion", said Mr. Morin. "We never had any specific demands. They even refused any discussion for the delivery of drugs that Michel Germaneau needed for his heart problems," added the French minister. In the full version of the message, the leader of AQIM has also confirmed that six members of his group were killed during the operation launched by the Mauritanian army against AQIM's in the desert of Mali, with logistical support of France who wanted to try to free the hostage. Michel Germaneau was held by a cell led by Algerian AQIM Abdelhamid Abu Zeid, described as "violent and brutal", which had already executed, 13 months ago, a British hostage, Edwin Dyer, who was kidnapped six months before. London had refused to yield to the demands of AQIM, which demanded the British to work for the release of several members of the organization prisoners in the Sahel. These same requirements were made by AQIM, which also holds two Spanish-hostages to guarantee the life of Michel Germaneau. Following the announcement of his execution, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had promised that this "barbaric act" would not remain unpunished. "They murdered in cold blood a person of 78, sick, to whom they refused to send the drugs he needed," he declared in a televised speech. "I condemn this barbaric act, that heinous act that made an innocent victim who devoted his time helping local people," he had said following a meeting of a council of security and defense attended by ministry officials and intelligence. The death of the French hostage has been the subject of numerous condemnations including those of Washington and the European Union who have denounced a "cowardly act". Three French hostages are still abroad since the end of 2009: an intelligence officer in Somalia and two journalists in Afghanistan. Posted by: Fred 2010-08-05 |
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