Former Austrian hostage calls on hostage-takers to have Islamic behaviour

A former hostage called on the kidnappers of two Austrian tourists to treat them in accordance with Islam’s precepts.Austrian Ingo Bleckmann said he hopes that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb treats them well as “they are innocent.”

“If the countries you are negotiating with did not meet your demands, what is the tourists’ fault?”

Bleckmann who had been held hostage by the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) for 52 days in 2003 said he was treated well.

“Wolfgang Ebner and Andrea Kloiber came to North Africa’s Sahara as they like the culture and people there,” he told Echorouk.

“Islam is a religion of mercy and bounty. I am sure that morals and good treatment will triumph at the end.”

 Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is still holding the two Austrian tourists who were kidnapped on February 22nd.

The hostage-takers said they would free Wolfgang Ebner and Andrea Kloiber if Al-Qaeda’s members were released from jails in Algeria and Tunisia.