After Four Months, 7 Abducted Estonians Freed
Local Editor
The seven Estonians, who were kidnapped in east Lebanon after entering
the country on a bicycle tour from Syria, were released Thursday,
almost four months after the abduction.
"The seven returned to the town of Arsal (Eastern Bekaa Valley) and
seem to be in good health," France Press quoted a Lebanese security
official who spoke on condition of anonymity as saying.
For his part, Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel confirmed the
information, emphasizing that "this was accomplished by the efforts of
the security apparatuses and the cooperation of European countries."
Charbel said in a TV interview that ""our sole priority now is to
ensure they safely arrive to Beirut… they are now on their way to the
French embassy."
The interior Minister further clarified that investigations are in
progress and three people are arrested until now.
The seven Estonians, who are in their 30s, were arrested on the 23rd
of March. Seven people were previously arrested over the case, but
were later released due to the absence of solid evidence.
An unknown group called Haraket Al-Nahda W Al-Islah (Progress and
Reform Movement) adopted the abduction in a message it sent to a
Lebanese website, and later came out with another message demanding a
ransom for releasing the detainees.
The abducted Estonians also appeared in a video that was published
over the internet, where they asked their government as well as other
countries to help releasing them.
Source: AFP
