Mali is safe and non embarrassing environment for negotiations to release Austrian tourists : Source

An Austrian envoy went to Bamako not to try to work on the release of two Austrian tourists being held hostage by the so-called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb but to find an adequate and non-embarrassing environment for diplomatic relations between Algeria and Tunisia, according to a tribal official in northern Mali.

“The Hostages likely are in an underground hideout in the Sahara,” the same source told Echorouk.

 It is believed that Al-Qaeda had enough of time to hide the two hostages in a safe underground hideout.

Anton Prohaska, former Austrian ambassador to France actually met Malian Persident Amadou Toumani Toure who were surrounded by officials from foreign affairs and defence ministries, said the same source.

“The Austrian envoy was accompanied by an officer from French foreign intelligence who worked on helping to find an appropriate mediator to negotiate with the kidnappers face to face.”

 Many names have been mentioned to be acceptable by the kidnappers in terms of the negotiations. Among these names there is Iyad Ag Ghaly, the historic leader of Touareg rebels who has recently been appointed as Mali’s consul in Saudi Arabia.

Iyad Ag Ghali was the main mediator between Germany and Abderrezak El Para, number two man in the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2003 for the release of German hostages.

 “This time, Ghali refuses to play any mediation role for the release of the Austrian hostages for many considerations including the consequences left by bloody clashes between the GSPC led by Abdelhamid Abu Zid and Touareg rebels in 2006,” said the same source.Colonel Haj Ak Kamou, operations commander in northern Mali’s army is trying to find another mediator.

 Car similar to the hostages’ one has been found 

Algerian parachutists who were combing terrorists’ hideouts including the ones used by El Para to hide his German hostages in 2003 did not find anything, Echorouk has learnt.

 Some sources reported that Tunisian authorities might have found a car which looked like the Austrian tourists’ one.“There was no identification number, no battery nor radio but no confirmation was made to say whether it’s the same car or not,” said the same sources. 

“The kidnappers will likely say how much they want as ransom before the end of the current week.”

 “It is natural that they will raise the ransom value as much as possible and start reducing it,” the same sources added.