French journalist held in Somalia said to be "fine"
By Abdiqani Hassan
BOSASSO, Somalia, Dec 18 (Reuters) - A Somali clan elder said on Tuesday he had seen a French journalist kidnapped by gunmen since the weekend and he was in a "fine" condition.
But the local elder, who is related to the kidnappers, also told Reuters the group was demanding an $80,000 ransom for the release of Gwen Le Gouil in northern Puntland region.
"We saw the French journalist. He is fine. We tried to convince the abductors to release the journalist, but they refused and demanded $80,000," Abdulqadir Ahmed said.
"We are going to negotiate with them again today."
Le Gouil, who was seized on Sunday, is being held in the mountainous village of Mareero, 30 km (19 miles) east of Puntland's Bosasso port, locals say.
Somali kidnappers are known to treat their captives well and almost never kill them, viewing them as an investment on which they expect a return in the form of ransom.
Many foreigners in Somalia run foul of local clans by failing to seek permission to travel through their territories.
A colleague of Le Gouil in a TV company, Cargocult Production, said he had no fresh information on Tuesday.
"But I am hopeful we might get some good news of his release today. Negotiations are continuing," said Jean Laurent, who is tracking his colleague's case from Nairobi.
French diplomats in the region had no comment.
Le Gouil was in the semi-autonomous region of north Somalia working on a piece for the Franco-German TV network Arte Television about human trafficking of African migrants to Saudi Arabia through Yemen.
Media groups have denounced the kidnapping in a nation where eight local journalists have died this year covering a conflict between the Ethiopian-backed government and Islamist-led rebels.
Known for its relative stability compared to chaotic south Somalia, Puntland has, however, become increasingly associated with kidnappings, hijackings and piracy.
In May, two foreign aid workers were seized and later released after negotiations between their captors and clan elders, while in October gunmen hijacked a cargo plane carrying khat, a lucrative narcotic leaf. (Writing by Aweys Yusuf and Andrew Cawthorne)
BOSASSO, Somalia, Dec 18 (Reuters) - A Somali clan elder said on Tuesday he had seen a French journalist kidnapped by gunmen since the weekend and he was in a "fine" condition.
But the local elder, who is related to the kidnappers, also told Reuters the group was demanding an $80,000 ransom for the release of Gwen Le Gouil in northern Puntland region.
"We saw the French journalist. He is fine. We tried to convince the abductors to release the journalist, but they refused and demanded $80,000," Abdulqadir Ahmed said.
"We are going to negotiate with them again today."
Le Gouil, who was seized on Sunday, is being held in the mountainous village of Mareero, 30 km (19 miles) east of Puntland's Bosasso port, locals say.
Somali kidnappers are known to treat their captives well and almost never kill them, viewing them as an investment on which they expect a return in the form of ransom.
Many foreigners in Somalia run foul of local clans by failing to seek permission to travel through their territories.
A colleague of Le Gouil in a TV company, Cargocult Production, said he had no fresh information on Tuesday.
"But I am hopeful we might get some good news of his release today. Negotiations are continuing," said Jean Laurent, who is tracking his colleague's case from Nairobi.
French diplomats in the region had no comment.
Le Gouil was in the semi-autonomous region of north Somalia working on a piece for the Franco-German TV network Arte Television about human trafficking of African migrants to Saudi Arabia through Yemen.
Media groups have denounced the kidnapping in a nation where eight local journalists have died this year covering a conflict between the Ethiopian-backed government and Islamist-led rebels.
Known for its relative stability compared to chaotic south Somalia, Puntland has, however, become increasingly associated with kidnappings, hijackings and piracy.
In May, two foreign aid workers were seized and later released after negotiations between their captors and clan elders, while in October gunmen hijacked a cargo plane carrying khat, a lucrative narcotic leaf. (Writing by Aweys Yusuf and Andrew Cawthorne)
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