N. African Militant Group Releases Video of French, Dutch Hostages

Local Editor

The North African extremist group "al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb" ["AQIM"] released a video on Monday purporting to show a French and a Dutch hostage held since November 2011 in the Sahara.

In the video, found on the Internet by the private "terrorism" watchdog SITE, French national Serge Lazarevic and a man identifying himself as Sjaak Rijke appeal to their governments to negotiate their release.

There is nothing in the footage of Lazarevic to suggest when it was shot, but Rijke says he is speaking on September 26 this year [2014] and refers to a US-Taliban prisoner exchange conducted in May.

Lazarevic was kidnapped in the Malian town of Hombori in November 2011.
Speaking in French, he complains that he is gravely ill and urges French President Francois Hollande to seek his release.
He last appeared in an "AQIM" propaganda video in June.

French authorities meanwhile confirmed the authenticity of the latest video.

Furtermore, Rijke, speaking in Dutch-accented English, also urges his home government to help free him.

Rijke, 54, was kidnapped as a tourist in the Malian town of Timbuktu, also in November 2011. He has appeared in a series of "AQIM" videos, most lately in September 2013.

The Dutch foreign ministry said it was aware of the latest video, which lasts less than four minutes. "In the interest of the family we will not be commenting," a spokeswoman said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team