Yemen kidnappers free Finnish couple, Austrian

[ChannelsTV]

Yemeni kidnappers have released a Finnish couple and an Austrian man more than four months after they were seized in the capital Sanaa. The trio were freed on Wednesday night after mediation by authorities in neighboring Oman, who paid a sum of money for their release, a senior Yemini security source told Reuters. Austria and Finland confirmed the release on Thursday. "The Omani authorities led mediation efforts and paid a ransom to free the Austrian and Finnish hostages," the security source told Reuters. "They were handed over to the Omani authorities last night." He declined to say how much was paid. Austria's foreign ministry said the three had been flown to Austria on Thursday and were receiving medical and psychological treatment. The Austrian, language student Dominik Neubauer, was in good physical health considering the circumstances, the ministry said. Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger thanked Oman's Sultan Qaboos for his "personal support". Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said his country did not pay ransoms but had no information about whether Oman had done so. The minister added freed hostage Atte Kaleva worked for Finland's army, without going into further details, but had visited Yemen while on leave to study Arabic. Finnish media said Kaleva's wife Leila was visiting him when they were kidnapped.

Via: ChannelsTV

[Shola Sholaz]

They shouldn't engage themeselves in kidnapping at all instead of kidnapping and then releasing them. It makes no sense.