Polish ambassador kidnapped in Yemen
Yemen, Local, 3/3/2000

In the first incident of its kind members of the Yemeni tribe of Khoulan on Wednesday evening kidnapped the Polish ambassador in Yemen, Christoph Subrovich, from in front of the medical center in the downtown of the capital, Sanaa.

The Yemeni police said that the kidnappers took the ambassador to the mountainous area of al-Yamaniyatin, 50 Km east of Sanaa and that military measures were taken in the area to pressure the kidnappers who call for the release of a relative who was detained at the beginning of this week.

A high-ranking Yemeni police officer said that the Yemeni police had known the place where the kidnappers of the ambassador are hiding.

The driver of the ambassador said, "Almost ten persons carried out the kidnapping operation, who was waiting for his daughter in front of a dentist clinic," adding that the ambassador's wife who was in the car saw the kidnapping.

A Yemeni tribal source told AFP that one of the Yemeni tribes leaders started a mediation to release the Polish ambassador, saying that a tribal mediation has started to release the Polish hostage who is held by a group of Al al-Qieri, affiliated to Khoulan tribes in al-Yamaniyatin area. He added that a senior chieftain of the tribes of the region identified as Abdullah Atif headed from Sanaa to al-Yamaniyatin region to start negotiations with the kidnappers and to try to convince them to release the ambassador, safe.

The tribal source continued, "The kidnappers call for releasing Sheikh al-Qeiri, who was arrested by the Yemeni authorities on Monday at Sanaa airport upon his arrival back from Jordan."

Meanwhile, the Polish government called on the Yemeni authorities to ensure the release of its ambassador in Sanaa and ensure his safety.

The spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry said the "kidnapping operation was held by kidnappers. And we are waiting for information," adding that the Polish Foreign Ministry has established a "crisis cell" to study the situation and discuss appropriate solutions with the Yemeni authorities."

On Thursday morning a Dutch expert, Jan Paul, who works in the bureau for the project to develop small industrial units was killed by one of the bureau's staff, identified as Abdul Razzaq Ibrahim, just a few seconds after he had killed the project's deputy director, Muhammad Haidar.

Previous Stories:
  Yemeni tribesmen kidnap Polish ambassador   (3/2/2000)
  Eight persons tried for kidnapping foreigners in Yemen   (2/28/2000)
  American hostage freed in Yemen   (2/11/2000)

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