Sahara hostages alive?
2003-06-17 22:02
Vienna - Fifteen European tourists being held in an isolated area of the Sahara Desert by an armed group are still alive, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Tuesday.
"At this point in time, I can tell you that the hostages are alive," said Bouteflika who was beginning a two-day state visit to Austria.
He said the Algerian authorities were prepared to allow the kidnappers a safe passage out of the country if they were to release their hostages.
He added Algeria would consult Germany before making any decisions concerning their release.
Ten Germans are among the 15 being held in the group that includes four Swiss and a Dutchman. It is thought they are being held in a section of the desert near the border with Libya.
They disappeared after setting off on tours in the Algerian Sahara between mid-February and mid-March.
Bouteflika again criticised the tourists for not going through specialised travel agencies before venturing into the more inaccessible parts of the vast desert.
"It's a bit like getting into a rowing boat to cross the ocean," he said.
Seventeen other European tourists - 10 Austrians, six Germans and a Swede - also disappeared, but were rescued by Algerian security forces on May 13. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA