Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) released Tuesday, April 26, a video containing messages of four French nationals it abducted in Niger seven months ago. The hostages are pleading with the President Nicolas Sarkozy to withdraw French troops from Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Centers for monitoring Islamist websites (SITE).
France "does everything possible" to secure the release of the hostages, said Wednesday the government spokesman Baroin, reporting the work of the Council of Ministers. Asked about the existence of "contacts" with the kidnappers, he said "I can not tell you more." "At a time when I speak, we are to authenticate the document and especially to date.
It is a proof of life if this information is confirmed, we can not say more this morning," insisted the budget minister told reporters. "You already know the French position. We do not do dictate our foreign policy in any form whatsoever. Otherwise, you will understand that we are cautious in public expression and determined in how we can liberate hostages, "he added.
The video of three minutes and thirty-six second advert shows successive pictures of Peter Legrand, Daniel Larribe, Thierry and Marc Furrer Dol with armed men behind them. They have the same text and pronounce a few words by: "We implore the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, responding positively to the request of Al-Qaeda to withdraw French troops from Afghanistan.
Because the French really have no interest in the war in Afghanistan. " The records date from 11, 12 or 13 April according to the claims of the hostages by appearing. France did not let her dictate policy by "kidnappers" had responded previously Minister for Europe, Laurent Wauquiez. "This is not the kidnappers who dictate the foreign policy of France," he recalled on RMC radio and BFMTV.
"The first task is to appraise this video, including ensuring that it is a video that demonstrates that our hostages are alive," he said. "The second thing is that we do everything to ensure they are released." By last weekend, a source close to the current mediation had already recalled qu'AQMI demanded the departure of French troops from Afghanistan in more than a ransom of 90 million euros made in March.
The French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, had then rejected the requirement of AQIM. "We do not negotiate on these bases," he had said. In late September 2010, two weeks after their abduction in the Sahel, Arlit (Niger), AQIM had posted a picture and an audio recording of the seven hostages - Areva employees and subcontractors - including five French .
Since then, three of the hostages (one French, a Togolese and a Malagasy), were released Feb. 24, which was interpreted by experts as a willingness to negotiate on behalf of the group that has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden. On several occasions, al-Qaeda has demanded the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the hostages' release.
France has some 3,800 soldiers in the Afghan theater. In November, in a recording broadcast on Qatar TV station Al-Jazeera, the head of AQIM, the Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdel, said: "[If] you want people who are prisoners here are healthy and sound, then you should hurry up and withdraw your soldiers from Afghanistan according to a timetable that you make public.
" In an audio message, Osama bin Laden himself had warned in late October 2010 that France would not know security until it withdraws its troops from Afghanistan and would not put an end to its "injustices" against Muslims. He cites the law banning the full veil in public. January 21, 2011, in an audio message, the network leader had once again linked the fate of French hostages to the withdrawal of French forces.
AQIM, which has stepped up kidnappings of Westerners in recent years, announced in July 2010 the implementation of humanitarian Germaneau Michel, whose body was never found. Two young French, Antoine and Vincent Léocour Delory, abducted Jan. 7 in Niamey by kidnappers working for AQIM were killed the next day in Mali during a Franco-Nigerien military to free them. 
France "does everything possible" to secure the release of the hostages, said Wednesday the government spokesman Baroin, reporting the work of the Council of Ministers. Asked about the existence of "contacts" with the kidnappers, he said "I can not tell you more." "At a time when I speak, we are to authenticate the document and especially to date.
It is a proof of life if this information is confirmed, we can not say more this morning," insisted the budget minister told reporters. "You already know the French position. We do not do dictate our foreign policy in any form whatsoever. Otherwise, you will understand that we are cautious in public expression and determined in how we can liberate hostages, "he added.
The video of three minutes and thirty-six second advert shows successive pictures of Peter Legrand, Daniel Larribe, Thierry and Marc Furrer Dol with armed men behind them. They have the same text and pronounce a few words by: "We implore the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, responding positively to the request of Al-Qaeda to withdraw French troops from Afghanistan.
Because the French really have no interest in the war in Afghanistan. " The records date from 11, 12 or 13 April according to the claims of the hostages by appearing. France did not let her dictate policy by "kidnappers" had responded previously Minister for Europe, Laurent Wauquiez. "This is not the kidnappers who dictate the foreign policy of France," he recalled on RMC radio and BFMTV.
"The first task is to appraise this video, including ensuring that it is a video that demonstrates that our hostages are alive," he said. "The second thing is that we do everything to ensure they are released." By last weekend, a source close to the current mediation had already recalled qu'AQMI demanded the departure of French troops from Afghanistan in more than a ransom of 90 million euros made in March.
The French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, had then rejected the requirement of AQIM. "We do not negotiate on these bases," he had said. In late September 2010, two weeks after their abduction in the Sahel, Arlit (Niger), AQIM had posted a picture and an audio recording of the seven hostages - Areva employees and subcontractors - including five French .
Since then, three of the hostages (one French, a Togolese and a Malagasy), were released Feb. 24, which was interpreted by experts as a willingness to negotiate on behalf of the group that has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden. On several occasions, al-Qaeda has demanded the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the hostages' release.
France has some 3,800 soldiers in the Afghan theater. In November, in a recording broadcast on Qatar TV station Al-Jazeera, the head of AQIM, the Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdel, said: "[If] you want people who are prisoners here are healthy and sound, then you should hurry up and withdraw your soldiers from Afghanistan according to a timetable that you make public.
" In an audio message, Osama bin Laden himself had warned in late October 2010 that France would not know security until it withdraws its troops from Afghanistan and would not put an end to its "injustices" against Muslims. He cites the law banning the full veil in public. January 21, 2011, in an audio message, the network leader had once again linked the fate of French hostages to the withdrawal of French forces.
AQIM, which has stepped up kidnappings of Westerners in recent years, announced in July 2010 the implementation of humanitarian Germaneau Michel, whose body was never found. Two young French, Antoine and Vincent Léocour Delory, abducted Jan. 7 in Niamey by kidnappers working for AQIM were killed the next day in Mali during a Franco-Nigerien military to free them.
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