Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb issues ultimatum over hostages
February 8th, 2010 - 10:30 am ICT by IANSEFE
Cairo, Feb 8 (IANS/EFE) In a fresh ultimatum demanding release of four terrorists imprisoned in Mali by March 1, north African wing of the Al Qaeda has offered to free two of the six European hostages in exchange.The Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has set new deadlines of Feb 20 and March 1 for France and Italy respectively offering to free their nationals it has been holding captive for more than two months to secure the release of its members from Mali jails, according to a statement posted Saturday on SITE, extremists’ websites monitoring group.
The statement came after Mali’s President Amadou Toumani Toure said Thursday that his government was working for peaceful solution of the crisis. Ruling out military operations, the President said efforts were on to secure the release of all the hostages either by paying ransom or by freeing AQIM prisoners.
61-year-old Frechman Pierre Camatte was taken from his hotel in Menaka, around 1,500 km from Mali capital Barnako in November. The Italian Sergio Cicala, 65, and his wife Philomene Pawelgba Kabore were abducted Dec 18, while three Spanish aid workers were kidnapped Nov 29.
In an earlier ultimatum issued Jan 11, the terrorist group had threatened to kill the French hostage in case the Mali government fails to free its members within 20 days.
The new statement, however, does not mention about the release of Cicala’s wife and the Spanish volunteers- Albert Vilalta, 35, Alicia Gamez, 35, and Roque Pascual, 50, who work for Barcelona-Accio Solidaria and were abducted while transporting humanitarian aid to Senegal.
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- Al Qaeda releases French hostage - Feb 24, 2010
- Al Qaeda releases Spanish hostages after eight months - Aug 22, 2010
- France rejects negotiating with Osama bin Laden on Niger hostages - Nov 20, 2010
- Al Qaeda releases two hostages after three months - Mar 10, 2010
- Al Qaeda claims kidnapping Italians in Mauritania - Dec 29, 2009
- Al Qaeda planning to kidnap more Westerners - Nov 29, 2011
- Spanish foreign minister visits Mali for hostage release - Mar 04, 2012
- Gaddafi's fall might allow al-Qaeda affiliates take over southern Libya: Analysts - Mar 26, 2011
- Al Qaeda might have killed British hostage: Brown - Jun 03, 2009
- Al Qaeda 'shopping for arms' in Africa - Nov 02, 2010
- US citizen held in Spain for funding Al Qaeda - Sep 30, 2010
- Mali president finally resigns after coup - Apr 09, 2012
Tags: abducted, accio, amadou toumani toure, aqim, barnako, french hostage, hostages, humanitarian aid, islamic maghreb, jails, mali capital, mali government, menaka, military operations, monitoring group, paying ransom, peaceful solution, roque, spanish aid workers, terrorist group
