Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., August 31, 2008 Av 30, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:36 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  18
Last update - 21:20 29/08/2008
Nigerian group demands $12m ransom for kidnapped Israeli
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Nigeria, ransom, Israel 

The Nigerian gang that kidnapped an Israeli employee of a construction company operating in Nigeria has demanded $12 million in ransom - the highest demand of this kind in the country's history, Haaretz revealed Friday.

It is likely that the high ransom bid is due to the Israeli's position as an employee for Gilmor - a company dealing with large-scale projects and major accounts. A Nigerian source emphasized that the ransom request is now being handled by the hostage's employer.

The company's CEO and owner, Eli Golder, on Thursday declined to go into detail, saying only that "the situation is delicate." He called on Israeli media outlets to restrain their coverage of the case, warning that "any publication might hurt the chances of releasing the hostage."
Advertisement
Earlier Thursday, a spokesman for an armed group in the region claimed in an e-mail to Haaretz that the hostage had been located and appears to be diabetic. The spokesman, who signed the e-mail with his nom de guerre, Jomo Gbomo, said that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) "will only plead with his captors to be humane, but will not intervene to allow the security operatives earn their pay by finding him and negotiating his release."

In a later message to Haaretz, Jomo Gbomo said that due to the hostage's age and his medical condition he was being treated with respect, and that the movement was ready to reconsider its stance on becoming involved in efforts to secure his release.

The e-mail also said that the group has offered to help find and secure the hostage's release, if requested officially by Israel's ambassador. However the foreign ministry, in consultation with the Nigerian ambassador to Israel, decided not to approach the group for help because of concerns that this might undermine relations with Nigeria's federal government.

MEND claimed in the e-mail that its offer to help "has been suspended until the Israel National News (Arutz Sheva) rescinds its description of MEND as a terrorist group and offers an apology. It seems the newspaper is confused about the definition of terrorists from using the word every day from its encounter with Palestinian freedom fighters."

The foreign ministry has ordered its officials not to comment on the case as long as there have been no significant developments.

The hostage's family requested that his name not be published.

Now that it has been established with certainty that the kidnapping is a purely criminal matter, the construction company will have to decide whether and how to pay the ransom. Official government policy in Nigeria is not to pay ransom to kidnappers, but the frequent kidnappings there usually end with the mostly foreign companies in question paying to free their personnel. There have also been previous cases in which corrupt government officials, sometimes in senior positions, had ties to the kidnapping gangs and were themselves involved in abductions.

The Israeli hostage's family is in contact with the company that employs him, and also with the Foreign Ministry, which is monitoring the case through Ambassador Moshe Ram, who is in touch with the relevant Nigerian officials.

The governor of the Nigerian state where the kidnapping took place told Ram that he is personally aggrieved, because the Israeli worker was snatched immediately after a reception the governor held for the ambassador and a delegation of Israeli businessmen.

Related articles:
  • Nigerian militants: We know where abducted Israeli is held
  • Israel warns nationals of Hezbollah kidnap threat abroad
  • Israelis in West Africa: We live in Hezbollah state
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    World War III
    A top Iranian general says an attack on Tehran would ignite a 'world war'.
    Raising the price
    Hamas says won't compromise, Israel must free 1,000 prisoners for Shalit.
      1.   This is also a result of the terrible deal of Kuntar for bones 16:07  |  S 29/08/08
      2.   here we go;mert opened another door when he started giving free 16:17  |  glenna 29/08/08
      3.   Not surprising... 16:22  |  bat yam 29/08/08
      4.   Naaa, we Nigerian terrorists don`t have him - Yeah right! 17:25  |  D 29/08/08
      5.   $12m no . . .but a maybe a few hundred pali prisoners 18:15  |  stu 29/08/08
      6.   israeli hostage 18:18  |  richthofen 29/08/08
      7.   Will company, following Israel`s lead, just capitulate? 18:39  |  Raymond in DC 29/08/08
      8.   This is where the insurance negotiators come in. 20:54  |  Stephen 29/08/08
      9.   Every extortionist knows Israel is growing weaker 21:20  |  Avi 29/08/08
      10.   I hope Mossad has been given a new job .. 00:02  |  SA 30/08/08
      11.   Remember those times... 00:30  |  Zyama 30/08/08
      12.   How much more can the secular tolerate?! 01:01  |  Akiva P 30/08/08
      13.   O`O` 12:57  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 30/08/08
      14.   #1 dont get confused, it have nothing to do with HA or Kuntar 16:01  |  antoine 30/08/08
      15.   The Result of Appeasement 18:04  |  C.A. Fulghum 30/08/08
      16.   why send workers to nigeria? that`s the sick thing here 21:14  |  michelle 30/08/08
      17.   to kidnapp israelis, best business in the world 21:31  |  paulo2005 30/08/08
      18.   All these posts giving credence to Hezbollah.. 22:59  |  Stephen 30/08/08
     Read & React
    Top Iran general: Attack on Tehran will ignite 'world war'
    Responses: 112
    Shas chief: Olmert has no authority to decide Jerusalem's fate
    Responses: 69
    Zvi Bar'el: If Russia becomes involved in Mideast conflict it may be cause for panic
    Responses: 5
    Editorial: Are we ready to accept Shalit's murder, knowing he could've been freed?
    Responses: 19


    More Headlines
    14:10 Olmert draws fire for Jerusalem proposal as he meets Abbas in capital
    13:43 Shalit family: No more prisoner releases without Gilad
    10:35 Hamas making $20 million a month from Gaza smuggling tunnels
    11:22 Democratic Rep.: Palin pick is 'direct affront to all Jewish Americans'
    02:21 ANALYSIS / A giant failure called Afghanistan
    08:04 Nazi collaborator fled arrest, living peacefully in Germany
    14:13 New Orleans residents ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Gustav nears
    16:09 Top Iran general says attack on Tehran would ignite 'world war'
    03:49 This Hyphenated Life post four / The capital of the Jewish World
    11:27 Where are Israel's 3,500 elementary school drop-outs?
    08:03 Openly bisexual Jewish-American basketball player tries out for Maccabi Haifa
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    MBA in Israel in English
    APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved