FRANCE: French tourists taken hostage in Yemen return home

Four French tourists taken hostage by Yemeni tribesmen returned home on Wednesday (September 27) after being held in captivity for more than two weeks. The four men arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris after their release was negotiated with the hostage-takers. They were quickly escorted into a room with security officials at the airport. "We we treated well and I'd really like to thank from the bottom of my heart all of the people who have worked for us here in France and those who - like Christophe and Frank - have accompanied us daily, although from a distance, through this hardship which has not been easy for us. But, today it is finished. We are very happy, slightly exhausted as you can imagine, and we'd like to have quiet and go home and be with our families. That's it. Thanks very much. I have nothing else to add," said one of the tourists who declined to give his name. The other three said nothing before leaving. All four appeared to be in good health. The tourists were seized in the Shabwa province on September 10 and the tribesmen threatened to kill them to press Yemen's government to release jailed relatives. Yemen deployed troops to try to secure their release. They were released on Monday (September 25) but it was not immediately clear if the demands of their hostage-takers had been met. French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin sent his thanks to the Yemeni authorities for their assistance in freeing the hostages. Scores of holidaymakers and foreigners working in Yemen have been kidnapped in the past decade by tribesmen demanding better schools, roads and services, or the release of prisoners. Most have been released unharmed. President Ali Abdullah Saleh has vowed to crack down on the abductions of foreigners which, along with attacks by al-Qaeda, are hindering the poor Arab state's efforts to boost tourism. FD/JRC

ITN Source | September 27, 2006

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