Austrian tourists kidnapped

2008-03-11 08:28

Dubai - Al-Qaeda's North Africa wing said on Monday that it was holding two Austrian tourists it had abducted in Tunisia on February 22, linking its action to an Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Al-Jazeera television aired an audio recording by a man who identified himself as Salah Abou-Mohammad - a spokesperson of al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb - and said the group would soon announce its demands for their release.

"The spokesperson said in the tape that the group will announce its conditions for the release of the two tourists at a later stage," said a Jazeera presenter. The channel did not broadcast that part of the recording.

Abou-Mohammad said the hostages were in a good condition, but warned Western tourists against visiting the North African state, which attracted visitors from several European countries.

He said: "We tell Western tourists ... the hand of the mujahideen can reach you wherever you were on Tunisian soil. This apostate Tunisian state cannot protect you."

Western tourists were "searching for pleasures in Tunisia while our folk in Gaza are being slaughtered by the Jews with consent from Western countries whose governments are killing our brothers in every (Muslim) country", he said.

Austrian media had identified the two tourists as Andrea Kloiber, 43, and Wolfgang Ebner, 51. Abou-Mohammad said they were a nurse and a consultant and gave similar sounding names with an Arabic accent.

Austrian foreign ministry spokesperson said the government was trying to verify the report, adding that the two were officially classified as missing.

Family members had already launched publicity campaigns for information on their whereabouts.

- Reuters