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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Kidnapped Turkish Paragliders Freed |
| 2006-01-18 |
| Istanbul, 18 Jan. (AKI) - Three Turkish paragliders kidnapped almost a month ago in southeast Iran close to the Pakistan border have been released. The three - Serdar Durna, Yurdaer Etike and Avni Ozan - were expected to fly back to Turkey on Wednesday. A Sunni Muslim group Jundallah (Soldier of Allah) seized the three Turks on 24 December 2005. A one-million-euro ransom was demanded for the release of the three paragliders who had been making their way to Nepal when they were seized. On Tuesday the Iranian government announced that the Sunni group, which authorities in Tehran believe is linked to Osam bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, had released the three Turks. There has been no word on fate of eight Iranian soldiers, also seized by the Jundallah last month. "Weâre very happy but of course our happiness will be greater when we see them here [in Turkey]â said Huseyin Ozan, elder brother of paraglider Avni Ozan, reacting to the news of the release. Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul said that intense efforts had been made to save the lives of the Turks and also thanked the Iranian government and Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, for their help. Both Gul, and Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said that no ransom paid to Jundallah. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 the three paragliders who had been making their way to Nepal when they were seized Turkey, to Southeast Iran or Pakistan/ to Nepal. That's a long way to paraglide. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-01-18 11:14 |