Appendix 4
List of reported kidnapping incidents
overseas involving Australians since 2001
This list of reported kidnappings has been sourced from
media releases, newspaper articles and information provided to the committee by
the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It should not be considered a
definitive list of all kidnapping incidents involving Australians overseas.
2001—Turkey: Michael Musgrave, Ian Burton, George
Jones and eight other Australians were held at gun-point, either in the lobby
of the Swisshotel in Istanbul or in their rooms, by a group of Chechen
militants on 23 April. The hostage takers surrendered peacefully after 12
hours. They stated that their wish was to bring international attention to
their political cause.[1]
2001—Colombia: An Australian man was reportedly
abducted in February. The victim claimed he was drugged and had his bank
accounts drained before being released two days later.[2]
2001—Nigeria: Three Australians reportedly among 91
oil workers released after being held hostage for five days in August on an oil
rig.[3]
2001—Afghanistan: Peter Bunch and Diana Thomas,
Christian missionaries, were detained by the Taliban along with other foreign
nationals on 6 August for preaching Christianity. In November they were
transferred from Kabul and handed over to a local warlord in Ghanzi. The
hostages were freed on 15 November by Afghan 'Northern Alliance' forces and
were repatriated by US Special Forces.[4]
2002—Russia: Alex Bobik, a Melbourne academic, and
his Russian student, Natalia Kalinina were amongst more than 800 people taken
hostage in a Moscow theatre by Chechen militants on 23 October. Bobik and his
student survived unharmed following the rescue attempt by Russian forces on 26
October when more than 100 of the hostages were killed. The hostage takers had
demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya.[5]
2003—Nigeria: Joshua Nijam, oil worker for Bredero
Price was kidnapped from a boat in the Niger delta with six other foreign
workers in November. He was released four days later as part of a goodwill
gesture following the payment of part of the ransom. Others were released the
following day.[6]
2004—Iraq: Robert Colvill, an American-Australian
sound engineer for NBC was kidnapped with three colleagues in Fallujah. He was
released three days later after the NBC reportedly paid a ransom.[7]
2004—Iraq: Two Australian security guards were
reportedly taken hostage with their clients by a group known as the 'Horror Brigades
of the Islamic Secret Army' in September. The group demanded that Australian
forces be withdrawn from Iraq. The kidnapping was never confirmed but media
reports stated that an SAS team was dispatched to Iraq and that an AFP team
specially trained for hostage crises in the Middle-East was on standby.[8]
2004—Iraq: Sheik Mohamed Alsibiyani (also known as
Mohammed Naji) was held by Sunni insurgents for four days before being
released. The hostage takers demanded a ransom but he was eventually released after
they had taken the cash being carried by the Sheik.[9]
2004—Iraq: John Martinkus, journalist, kidnapped with
two local companions outside his hotel in Baghdad and held for 20 hours by
Sunni insurgents before being released.[10]
2005—Iraq: Douglas Wood, engineer, kidnapped with two
Iraqi colleagues on 30 April in Baghdad by the Shura Council of the Mujahadeen
of Iraq. The hostage takers demanded that Australian forces leave Iraq. An
'emergency response' team was dispatched from Australia to Iraq. Wood was
released by Iraqi forces during a 'random' operation on 15 June 2005. His two
colleagues a killed at an earlier date by the hostage takers.[11]
2005—Gaza: Brian Ambrosio, deputy principal at a
private American school, was kidnapped with a Dutch colleague in December by a
group connected to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Released
unharmed after being held for two days.[12]
2006—Gaza: Kaye Bennett and Oles Shchyrytsya were
abducted with seven other foreigners at the American International School at
Beit Lahiya in Gaza. They were held for two hours before being released at a
nearby police station after the captors determined that none of the hostages
were American.[13]
2007—Nigeria: Jason Lane, oil worker, kidnapped with
four other foreign contractors on 4 July from an oil rig operated by Shell in
the Niger Delta. The hostages were released after seven days.[14]
2007—Mali: Des Gregor, farmer, was kidnapped after
travelling to Bamako to meet a woman he had met over the internet whom he
believed would be his bride. He was held by a criminal gang who demanded a
ransom of $100 000 from Mr Gregor's friends and family in Australia. Mr
Gregor was held for 12 days before AFP negotiators persuaded the kidnappers
that there was money to be collected by the captive from the Canadian Embassy
in Bamako. The gang released Mr Gregor near the embassy and he was rescued by
police.[15]
2008–09—Somalia: Australian with dual nationality
kidnapped with colleagues working for an NGO. Their employer conducted
negotiations with support of a security consultancy firm and the hostages were
released after an estimated ransom of US$4.1 million was paid. The family
requested that his Australian nationality not be disclosed at any point in the
negotiations.[16]
2008–09—Somalia: Nigel Brennan, photo journalist,
kidnapped with Canadian journalist, Amanda Lindhout, and a number of Somali
nationals on 23 August 2008 outside of Mogadishu. Hostage takers demanded a
multi-million dollar ransom. Somali nationals were released in January 2009.
Brennan and Lindhout were released on 25 November 2009 after their families
engaged a security consultancy firm and paid ransom of around US$600 000.[17]
2009—The Gambia: Justin Liebig, lured by a scam and
kidnapped on 2 February. Freed on 10 February after a reported €5000 in ransom was paid.
DFAT and the Australian Federal Police officers were reportedly sent to The
Gambia to assist with investigations. Gambian police arrested the kidnappers
and recovered most of the ransom.[18]
2011—East Africa: Australian ship captain with dual
nationality taken hostage with crew by Somali pirates in February. Captain,
crew and vessel were released two months later after ransom was paid by the
shipping company.[19]
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