Hostage begs authorities for release

An Algerian diplomat who was abducted in April by an Islamist movement urged the Algerian authorities to take action towards his release. Diplomat Tahir Touati appeared in a video on social network websites in which he says that “some countries, such as Mauritania and France had negotiated with these organisations for the release of their hostages" calling Algerian authorities to "follow their attitude". The Algerian diplomat appeared in good health in the video, sitting on the floor with a black panel in the background with the word “Saief” written on it. It seemed that the statement he read was written by the Tawhid and Jihad Islamist movement. Agence France-Presse and another Mauritanian news agency got hold of the video through one of the Islamist organisation’s mediator. The movement of Tawhid and Jihad had earlier threatened to execute Algerian diplomats if Algerian authorities did not pay the 15 million euros ransom. The Algerian government had so far refused to pay in order to follow the example of leading countries that have made the payment of ransoms illegal. Algerian political experts say that the timing is interesting for the broadcast of this video as this is a step that weakens the credibility of the Algerian authorities for the public opinion.