Yemen kidnappers threaten American
SANAA, Yemen — Al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen threatened an American hostage kidnapped more than a year ago, giving Washington three days to meet unspecified demands in a new video released Thursday.
The hostage, identified as 33-year-old Luke Somers, an American photojournalist born in Britain, is shown for the first time in the video, which was posted on the militants’ Twitter account.
The footage is similar to hostage videos released by al-Qaida’s rivals from the Islamic State extremist group, which threatened — and later beheaded — several American and British hostages after a summer blitz in which that group captured much of Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State fighters have at times battled al-Qaida and prompted defections among their rivals.
Somers was kidnapped in September 2013 from a street in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, where he had worked as a freelancer for the Yemen Times. Since his capture, Yemeni journalists have been holding sit-ins in Sanaa to press the government to seek his release.
The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that Somers was among a group of hostages that was the objective of a joint rescue mission by U.S operation forces and Yemeni troops last month. Eight captives were freed in a remote area of dunes called Hagr al-Saiaar near the Saudi border in Hadramawt province.
The Pentagon press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, said in a brief written statement that details about the mission remain classified. White House spokesman Bernadette Meehan said the mission was coordinated with the Yemeni government and undertaken by U.S. and Yemeni forces.
At the time of the mission, a Yemeni official said it failed to liberate five other hostages, including an American journalist and a Briton who were moved elsewhere by their al-Qaida captors days before the raid. The American was not identified by name, and Yemen did not officially confirm the participation of U.S. commandos in the rescue mission.
In the three-minute video, Somers appears somber and gives a brief statement in English, asking for help. The video was first reported by SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant sites.
“It’s now been well over a year since I’ve been kidnapped in Sanaa,” Somers said. “Basically, I’m looking for any help that can get me out of this situation. I’m certain that my life is in danger. So as I sit here now, I ask, if anything can be done, please let it be done. Thank you very much.”
Before Somers’ statement, the video shows local al-Qaida commander Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi reading in Arabic and speaking about what he said were American “crimes against” the Muslim world.
Al-Ansi criticized U.S.-led airstrikes against the Islamic State and denounced President Barack Obama for his “latest foolish action,” referring to the “failed operation” in Hadramawt. He said an “elite group of mujahedeen,” or holy warriors, were killed in the U.S. raid.
He also warned the U.S. against more “stupidities,” referring to future attempts to rescue hostages.
Al-Ansi gave the U.S. three days to meet al-Qaida’s demands or “otherwise, the American hostage held by us will meet his inevitable fate.” He didn’t specify the demands but said Washington is “aware” of them.
Also Thursday, Yemeni security officials said the body of a Yemeni hostage who had been held captive with Somers was found in the district of al-Qatn in Hadramawt late Wednesday.