- Title: Freed al Qaeda hostage reunites with family, speaks about ordeal
- Date: 10th August 2017
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 10, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FORMER AL QAEDA HOSTAGE, STEPHEN MCGOWAN, TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER AL QAEDA HOSTAGE, STEPHEN MCGOWAN, SAYING: "I do not believe that they knew my nationality when they caught me. They obviously would have preferred me to have been British - this would've been first prize. And it took a long time for the British status to fall away. I mean, I think my family were pushing for this and I was pushing for this, because it's dangerous to be British, I think, I think American, French and British - these are the top three. So, yeah, they kidnapped me because I just was non-Muslim." MCGOWAN'S WIFE, CATHERINE MCGOWAN, LISTENING TO A JOURNALIST'S QUESTIONS (LEFT TO RIGHT) GIFT OF THE GIVERS FOUNDER, DR. IMTIAZ SOOLIMAN, AND MCGOWAN'S FATHER, MALCOLM MCGOWAN, LAUGHING AS MCGOWAN JOKES WITH THE AUDIENCE / (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER AL QAEDA HOSTAGE, STEPHEN MCGOWAN, SAYING: "Wow, I haven't given this much thought. I see everybody seems to be growing beards these days. All my friends have got beards, so maybe I fit in fine with this. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know what's going to happen with this, sorry, yeah." MCGOWAN LISTENING VARIOUS OF MEDIA FILMING THE CONFERENCE/JOURNALIST ASKING MCGOWAN A QUESTION MCGOWAN LAUGHING/TALKING WITH A WOMAN AFTER THE CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF MCGOWAN AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE WALKING AND TALKING WITH GUESTS AFTER THE CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 24th August 2017 18:51
- Keywords: Al Qaeda Stephen McGowan Mali hostage Islam becoming a Muslim
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TKRGHZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:After nearly six years as a hostage of the Al Qaeda group in Mali, South African tourist Stephen McGowan said on Thursday (August 10) he would keep the beard that brushes his chest when he bows to speak into the microphone.
McGowan was released last month after being kidnapped, along with four other foreigners, while touring Mali on motorbikes. One, a German, was killed in the kidnapping. A Dutch hostage was freed in 2015 in a raid by French Special Forces and a Swede was released in June this year.
Recently discharged from hospital after a week in observation and treatment for numerous minor ailments, McGowan, flanked by his widower father and his wife, shyly recalled details of the ordeal.
He eventually converted from Catholicism to Islam, and said that this made his stay easier.
South Africa's government said no ransom was paid to secure his release. Gift of the Givers, the organisation that acted as intermediaries between Al Qaeda and government, said on Thursday McGowan had been released on compassionate grounds.
McGowan said he was driven across remote stretches of the Sahara in the back of utility truck with other hostages, and housed in a grass hut, handcuffed and blindfolded for long periods.
He was told on the drive home that his mother had passed away. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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