LEBANON: Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour says that kidnapped foreign workers in Nigeria are being held for ransom and that the Lebanese authorities are working towards their release

Record ID: 235971

  • Title: LEBANON: Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour says that kidnapped foreign workers in Nigeria are being held for ransom and that the Lebanese authorities are working towards their release
  • Date: 18th February 2013
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (FEBRUARY 18, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LEBANESE PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN BEIRUT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTER, ADNAN MANSOUR SAYING: "Regarding the Lebanese kidnapping, it is an incident that is nothing more than a financial extortion. They work for a Lebanese company in Nigeria, Setraco, and this company previously faced a similar incident. A number of Lebanese (working for it) were kidnapped then released later for a ransom. Now, the same incident is being repeated, and I think it will be resolved in the coming days." JOURNALIST ASKING: "What measures did the Lebanese state take?" "Lebanese authorities are in contact with the (Lebanese) embassy in Nigeria, which is in turn communicating with the concerned Nigerian authorities and working on releasing the hostages as soon as possible." MANSOUR IN HIS CAR CAR DRIVING PAST SETRACO OFFICES IN BEIRUT SIGN READING 'SETRACO'
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8YS5DQDH1P0T0OCPVSV8MJGNH
  • Story Text: Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Monday (February 18), that he believed the kidnapped foreigners in Nigeria are being held for ransom.
    Gunmen killed a security guard and abducted a Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers after storming the housing compound of Lebanese construction firm Setraco in Jama'are in Bauchi state late on Saturday (February 16).
    An Islamist group linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the kidnapping on Monday.
    "Regarding the Lebanese kidnapping, it is an incident that is nothing more than a financial extortion. They work for a Lebanese company in Nigeria, Setraco, and this company previously faced a similar incident. A number of Lebanese (working for it) were kidnapped then released later for a ransom. Now, the same incident is being repeated, and I think it will be resolved in the coming days," Lebanese Foreign Minister, Adnan Mansour, said.
    It was the worst case of foreigners being kidnapped in the mostly Muslim north of Africa's most populous country since an insurgency by Islamist militants intensified two years ago.
    "Lebanese authorities are in contact with the (Lebanese) embassy in Nigeria, which is in turn communicating with the concerned Nigerian authorities and working on releasing the hostages as soon as possible," Mansour added.
    Attacks by fractured Islamist groups in northern Nigeria have become the biggest threat to stability in Africa's top oil producer.
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