While the Air France plane carrying the bodies of Anthony and Vincent Delory Léocour of the two French nationals killed Saturday after they were kidnapped in Niger, landed Wednesday at dawn in Paris Roissy airport from Niamey, it appears increasingly likely that their kidnapping in Niger, bears the mark of an emir of Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)."It Mokhtar Belmokhtar who ordered the kidnapping of the hostages. It's him. His people told us that it's him. There is no doubt about it," said one mediator Mali currently based in northern Mali, who had previously negotiated with the Algerian Belmokhtar of hostage releases in Europe. "Among the kidnappers, there was direct his men," said another source of Niger, also involved in the past in a matter of release of European hostages in the Sahel.
France and Mali since Monday AQIM accused of being behind the kidnapping, still unclaimed. The movement has claimed three months ago the abduction in northern Niger to five French, a Togolese and a Malagasy, mostly working for the French nuclear group Areva and a subcontractor. Friday night, the two French 25-year-old Antoine Léocour Delory and Vincent, were abducted in a restaurant in central Niamey and found dead the next day after an attack by French forces in Malian territory against the kidnappers.
The French defense minister, Alain Juppe, said Tuesday from Chad as one of the hostages was "death by a gunshot to the head," adding that he had "every reason to believe" that the two men have "been executed by the kidnappers. " According to a medical source who saw the body in Niamey, the hostages' hands were tied behind his back, and they had black marks on the body.
" A source close to the Nigerian presidency had earlier assured the that "the bodies were charred. French police sources for their part, assured that "the body of one of the two French hostages was completely charred." An autopsy must be performed at the forensic institute in Paris. On Sunday, members of two families, which were received Tuesday by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, should participate in Linselles, in northern France, in a silent march organized by the friends of Vincent and Anthony, according to a member of a family.
Joint funeral will be held next week at a date and location to be determined. Four kidnappers were killed and two others wounded interviewed in Niamey, said Mr. Juppe, detailing the results of the French military intervention has also resulted in the deaths of three policemen Nigerians.
Two French soldiers were also wounded. Prime Minister Francois Fillon has confirmed at the National Assembly that there were two prisoners and said that the six parties in Niger French police as part of a criminal investigation opened in Paris participating in their interrogation. A public prosecutor of Paris is also expected on site Wednesday, according to France Info.
François Fillon said that 30 French soldiers' helicopter and parachuted "had participated in the fighting that took place on Malian territory, while the kidnappers were probably trying to win a shelter, he said. According to sources Malian, French helicopter gunships fired on the convoy of vehicles from the kidnappers in northern Mali, about fifteen kilometers from the Malian town Tabankor (35 km south of Menaka), which have charred wrecks been found.
Among the wreckage, "a big 4 × 4 vehicle registered in Benin," according to an administrative authority in northern Mali. In Niamey, witnesses had said the French had been taken aboard such a vehicle.
- Niger Hostage-Takers Probably Al-Qaeda, France Says - BusinessWeek (09/01/2011)
- Niger Hostage-Takers Probably Al-Qaeda, French Government Says - BusinessWeek (09/01/2011)
- Niger Attempt to Free French Hostages Leaves Four Soldiers Dead - BusinessWeek (10/01/2011)
- France warns of Sahel threat after hostages killed (09/01/2011)
- 'Hostage-takers' seized in Niger (11/01/2011)
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