Belmokhtar releases Sahraoui and imposes his power in the Sahel countries
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The family of Omar Sahraoui, accused for the abduction of the three Spanish hostages nine months ago, confirmed the release of the latter. "Omar was released shortly before the release of the two Spaniards, I saw him with my eyes," said his cousin Mohammed from Bamako. A regional source close to negotiations for the release of the hostages has confirmed the release.
- Roque Pascual and Albert Vilalta, both Spanish hostages, kidnapped Nov. 29, 2009 in Mauritania, arrived at Barcelona airport from Ouagadougou Tuesday.
The former hostages had boarded, visibly exhausted, and one of them walked with a crutch.
The wives of two men and a physician, a psychologist and several officials were on board the special plane that had left shortly after 7:30 p.m. Ouagadougou to Spain.
Previously, we learned from Bamako the release of the author of the kidnappind of the two Spaniards, the Malian Omar Sid Ahmed Ould Hamma, alias "Omar Sahraoui," who, according to prosecutors in Nouakchott, had acted as "mercenary" of AQIM.
His return to Mali was one of the requirements of AQIM for the release of two hostages in Spain.
"Today is a day of celebration", welcomed the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, in a brief statement announcing their release. He did not mention a ransom, several newspapers claimed the payment.
AQIM said Monday it had released the two Spanish hostages because some of its demands were met, without specifying which, according to the daily El Pais, citing a recorded message of the group.
It is "great news" that "puts an end to terrorist actions that would never have happened," said Mr. Zapatero before "to thank the various governments, especially those in the area occurred This hostage taking ".
Their release comes just days after the extradition from Nouakchott to Mali of "Omar the Sahraoui, sentenced for kidnapping the two Spaniards.
"Omar was released shortly before the release of two Spaniards, I saw with my eyes," said his cousin Mohammed.
A regional source close to negotiations for the release of the hostages has confirmed the release.
"It is true that once Omar released, it has facilitated the release of the two Spanish hostages. I can even say that he then participated in negotiations for their release," the source said.
The Spanish daily El Mundo and ABC have said that the process of release of the two Catalans did activated after the extradition.
Both newspapers also report that a ransom, an estimated 3.8 million by El Mundo and 5-10 Million euros, was paid via Madrid.
The executive had strongly denied in March the payment of a ransom in the liberation of Alicia Gamez, other voluntary Accio Solidaria, captured at the same time as her two colleagues.
In his recorded message, AQIM said that the release of the two Spanish hostages is a "lesson sent to the French secret service, after a failed Franco-Mauritanian raid conducted July 22 to release the French hostage Michel Germaneau whom AQIM executed on July 25.
The raid had caused concern in Madrid on the fate of the two Spanish hostages who were in hands of a group led by Algerian AQIM Mokhtar Belmokhtar, alias Belawar.
Ennahar / Dalila B.
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