Spanish aid worker released by Al Qaeda in the Maghreb

Spanish aid worker released by Al Qaeda in the Maghreb
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By h.b. - Mar 10, 2010 - 12:38 PM

Alicia Gámez - EFE

Two of Alicia Gámez's companions remain in captivity

One of the three Catalan aid workers who was kidnapped over three months ago by Al Qaeda in Mauritania has been released today Alicia Gámez, the one woman of the three Spaniards to be taken, was released along with an Italian hostage, Filomena Kaouburee.

Gámez was taken when at the end of an aid convoy organised by the Non-Governmental Organisation, Barcelona Acció Solidària, when travelling in Maurtania, 170kms from the capital, Nouakchott, and has been held in the Islamic Al Qaeda in the Maghreb base in Mali from where she is now travelling to Uagadugú, the capital of Burkina Faso. She is expected to board a flight back to Spain from there.

Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero would not confirm or deny whether any ransom has been paid for her release.
Later the Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, claimed that no payment had been made.

Zapatero said that the end of the ordeal for the other two Spaniards being held, Albert Vilalta and Roque Pascaul, was ‘making good progress’, but he did not want to adventure any date for their release.

A ransom of 5 million € had been demanded for the release of the three, but last weekend new demands for the release of Islamic prisoners held in Mauritania was reportedly added to the demands, although this was described by the Spanish Government as ‘a rumour’.

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