Finland Times

Although the high-up of the Yemen government assuring the Finnish and Austrian authorities for taking extensive measures to rescue the abducted Finnish couple and Austrian national, no headway of the abduction case is yet to be detected even after three weeks of the incident.

According to the reports of some international media and Yemen newspapers, the authorities continue to search for three Europeans who were abducted from Sanaa on December 21, said Mohammed Al-Maweri, a spokesman for the Interior ministry of  Interior  of Yemen on Wednesday.

But the Ministry refused to provide any further details, reported the Yemen Times, an English language newspaper in Yemen.

The report said that the media outlets had originally reported the Bani Dhabian tribe of Khawlan, located to the southeast of Sana’a, had claimed responsibility for the abduction but Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Marwani, Head of the Dar Al-Salam Organization, a group working on the case, said this is not true. 

He said committees had been sent to the tribe, but they determined the victims were not with them.

Despite media speculation, Al-Marwani says they have reason to believe Al-Qaeda is not involved and that investigations have led authorities to believe the victims are still in Sana’a.  But, he also said they are still waiting on more conclusive evidence. 

Finnish language newspaper Helsingin Sanomat quoting Teemu Turunen, Counsellor of the Finnish ministry of foreign affairs reported on Thursday that the Authorities still do not know specific anything regarding the whereabouts of the abducted Europeans.

He, however, said that there are various kind of rumors regarding the abduction abduction case and rescue operation.and  for sure who is abducted by a Finnish couple and the Austrian man  three weeks ago in Yemen. Moves a lot of different rumors, says.

Earlier, A Finnish government representative and Austrian representative met the Yemen’s prime minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa on December 31 and December 29 separately to discuss the situation of the abducted Europeans and the Yemeni PM  assured the representatives for his full support to find the Finnish couple and their Austrian friend.

Meanwhile a national newspaper of Yemen, The Yemen Post after one week of the abduction reported quoting the tribal sources that the militants who kidnapped the three Europeans are seeking as much as $7 million US dollars as ransom to make the hostage free.

The Yemen government, however, refused to negotiate with the kidnappers or give additional details. A senior Interior Ministry officials met with tribal leaders in areas around Sana'a and called on them to assist in the search for the abducted people, said the newspaper report.

One official told Yemen Post that tribal influence in regions surrounding Sana'a is strong which brings up the need for the government to cooperate with the elders hoping to quicken the pace of the investigation.

"The tribal leaders have their eyes in most of the area surrounding Sana'a and we want to ensure that we use all the tools in our hands to help in the search," an Interior Ministry official told Yemen Post.

The official would not give details of where the investigation stands but confirmed the government still lacks enough evidence to know where exactly the kidnapped are.

The government informed Finnish officials who visited Sana’a that a ransom might be needed and confirmed that tribal leaders around Sana’a are helping in the hunt for the kidnappers.

Tribal leaders in the southern suburbs of Sana’a told Yemen Post that the release of the three foreigners would take anywhere between a week to two months ranging on sides agreeing to the ransom. “At times it does not only involve money, it involves the release of prisoners and this case seems like both money and prisoners will be needed to ensure the release of the foreigners,” a tribal leader told Yemen Post.

He said that if negotiations take longer than a month the deal would be somewhat complicating and would involve more for the release.

Tribesmen usually kidnap foreigners to pressure the authorities to meet demands including ransom, releasing detainees or supplying some services to their areas.

Several kidnappings have been reported this year amid alarming security disorder deepened by power vacuum as the unrest, which began last year, persists.

Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation decided to help the Yemeni authorities to take a Finnish couple's kidnapping investigation. NBI Director appointed an investigation Detective Superintendent Thomas Elfgren.