NI hostage shown on video

The UN relief worker from Northern Ireland, who is one of three UN staff recently taken hostage in Kabul, has appeared in a video released by a group called the Army of Muslims.

The three - Annetta Flanigan, from Co Armagh, Shqipe Hebibi, from Kosovo, and Angelito Nayan, from the Philippines – were abducted on October 28. The militant group holding them has said that it will execute the captives if prisoners in Afghan jails and in Guantanamo Bay are not released.

In the video footage released by the militant group, Annetta and her co-workers appear to be unharmed and are shown hunkered down against a wall being interrogated by a hooded captor.

The UN has issued an appeal for the immediate return of its three staff members kidnapped in Kabul last week.

A UN spokesperson told a press briefing that the three, while coming from very different backgrounds, “have at least one thing in common – their commitment to serve people who can benefit from their knowledge and expertise”.

Afghan authorities are said to be keeping an open mind on who has kidnapped the UN aide workers. Despite a number of arrests since the trio were taken hostage, there are believed to be no clear leads on their whereabouts.

The BBC has reported that the kidnap gang, possibly a breakaway faction of the Taliban, may have split the three up in order to frustrate any attempts at a rescue.

(sp/gmcg)