Former desert hostage says they were freed by kidnappers

October 1, 2008 (BERLIN) – A former hostage who was among tourists kidnapped by Sudanese bandits in the Western Desert of Egypt dismissed reports about their release asserting they were freed and reached alone a position of Egyptian army.

In an interview with the German Spiegel, Bernd L., 65, the kidnappers released them after the killing of their leader and five others by the Sudanese army on Sunday. They left them with three of the four vehicles, adding all the 19 hostages had one Jeep.

On Monday the 19 members of the freed group drove the only vehicle they had in the desert and reached an Egyptian Army camp in the Egyptian desert from where they were transported later to Cairo.

The 11 European tourists and eight Egyptians were abducted September 19 during a desert expedition in south-western Egypt, then taken across the border to Sudan Chad border area.

Bernd disclosed to Spiegel that Berlin had effectively sent special troops to Egypt but added he met them for the first time at the German embassy in Cairo after their release.

“During the evening we were invited to a reception at the German Embassy. That’s where I saw BND (Germany’s foreign intelligence service) and GSG-9 (elite anti-terrorism police force) officials for the first time. There were about 25 men from special units at the embassy.” He said.

The accounts by the freed Europeans and their Egyptian guides contradicted reports from Egyptian security officials who described a dramatic rescue involving gun battles between Egyptian forces and the hostages.

Also, Egyptian and Sudanese authorities spoke about close cooperation to free the hostages.

The peaceful end of the hostages’ crisis was well advertised by the Egyptian and the Sudanese authorities but for different purposes. For Cairo it was important to highlight its capacity to protect tourism industry and to describe the operation as criminal not a “terrorist” operation.

However, with the Sudanese officials in Khartoum the ton was different. They urged the world to condemn the “terrorists” Darfuri groups who claim fighting for the right of their people and are supported by the international community.

(ST)