2011 Timbuktu kidnapping
 | It has been suggested that Sjaak Rijke be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2015. |
Timbuktu three refers to the three kidnap victims, South African Stephen McGowan, Swede Johan Gustafson and Dutch Sjaak Rijke on 25 November 2011. A fourth German victim was shot, when he refused to climb into their truck.[1]
A unit of the Al-Qaeda’s North African branch: al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) abducted the three from a restaurant in Timbuktu, Mali. Because McGowan has duel citizenship, South African & British, the group offered a trade to the British Government for Abu Qatada who was to be deported to Jordan, where he had been convicted of involvement in militant plots.[1]
Since the kidnapping several videos have been released of the three, offered as proof of life.[2][3]
As of March 2015[update] all three are still held captive.[4]
Rijke was rescued by French forces in April 2015. [5]
References
- ^ a b "SA citizens under fire in hot spots". IOL. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ Graham Smith (22 August 2012). "British hostage held by Al-Qaeda in Mali pleads for government to negotiate for his freedom". dailymail. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "French, Dutch hostages in Mali beg for help". News24. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "The Forgotten Three: The Fate of AQIM Timbuktu Hostages and Their Captor Belkacem Zouadi". Geneva Centre for Training and Analysis of Terrorism. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/dutch-hostage-rescued-by-french-troops-in-mali/ar-AAaudg6?lang=en-ca