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| Africa North |
| Vienna denies allocating half ransom to Al-Qaeda |
| 2008-04-09 |
| The Austrian Government has denied yesterday information being reported by local and international media saying the abductors have not killed the two Austrian nationals being detained by Al-Qaeda wing in the Sahara because they have been delivered the half of the 5m euros ransom. A spokesman for the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry told AFP that Vienna “has enough time to negotiate the release of its two nationals being detained by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.” He further added that “the negotiators haven’t agreed yet with abductors on how the ransom shall be paid as to extend the deadline of negotiations.” Furthermore, the leader of abductors group Abu Zaid has avoided killing the two Austrian hostages as the faltering of negotiations is beyond the scope of the Austrian party. However, the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman has owed the negotiations faltering to the recurrent interruptions in communications set with the kidnappers moving in the wide Sahara between northern Mali and Southern Algeria. Moreover, some Austrian newspapers have sowed panic among Austrians while saying Al-Qaeda terrorists are likely to kidnap other hostages to ease its financial crisis. Meanwhile the Tunisian Tourism Minister has announced Monday that about 500 Austrian tourists are to visit Tunisia along this week. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 I don't have a problem with them paying a half ransom as long as they kill the abductors upon delivery of the second half. |
| Posted by: Woodrow Slusorong7967 2008-04-09 06:55 |
| #1 I fully expect them to pay the full ransom, they are after all Europeans and have no problems with that. They will insist they didn't of course. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2008-04-09 01:13 |