The
German Government appears willing to pay a ransom for its citizen,
Edgar Fritz Raupach, who was kidnapped in Kano State four months ago by
the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, SUNDAY PUNCH has authoritatively learnt.
This
move by Germany is coming just as security reports indicate that
Raupach might have been moved to a neighbouring African country to
prevent Nigerian and German security agencies from rescuing him.
Recently, security sources told SUNDAY PUNCH correspondents that the terrorists moved Raupach to prevent a joint raid on their hideout by special forces.
Last
month, an Italian and British hostage were murdered during a failed
rescue mission by both British and Nigerian security forces. The
hostages were killed by their captors before they could be rescued.
In
a video obtained by a Mauritanian news agency in March, Raupach’s
abductors threatened to kill him the same way the Briton and Italian
were killed if there was an attempt to rescue him.
A
few days after the threat was made, the State Security Service said it
had arrested and detained five men, including a Mauritanian, believed to
be linked to Al-Qaeda’s North African branch for the January kidnap of a
German.
Four
of the suspects were reportedly arrested in a raid on a Kano store
owned by the Mauritanian while the fifth was held in a separate raid.
A security source who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter told SUNDAY PUNCHthat the arrest of the suspects might have forced Raupach’s captors to relocate.
According
to him, the cooperation Britain gave Nigeria during the rescue effort
for the Briton and Italian had also made the abductors jittery as they
feared that German and Nigerian security agencies might be working on a
rescue operation.
“Right
now, we don’t even know if they are in the country. That is what we are
trying to find out. We highly suspect that they have been pressurised
to shift location. Chad is a likely location; it is their strong base,”
the source said.
When
asked if the borders were being monitored or if the Nigerian government
had alerted the Chadian authorities to this development, the source
refused to comment on that.
“I
have said enough. That man’s life is in danger and we can’t afford to
endanger it more. Security strategies are not meant for the pages of
newspapers,” he said.
When
our correspondent called the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the
SSS, Marilyn Ogar, on Thursday, she said, “Please I have no idea, thank
you.”
Also the army’s Director of Public Relations, Brig. Gen Bola Koleoso, said the army was not involved in Raupach’s case.
“The army is not involved in the investigation. Please call the police.”
Efforts
to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Shola Amore, were not
successful as he did not respond to calls and a text message sent to his
mobile number.
SUNDAY PUNCH however
learnt that Germany, which was providing support for Nigeria in its
investigation, was not ready to give in to the demands of the AQIM.
The
group said it was seeking the release of Umm Seifullah al-Ansari, or
Filiz Gelowicz, a Turkish-born woman jailed a year ago in Germany for
aiding terrorism.
Her
husband, German national Fritz Gelowicz, a convert to Islam, was among
four Islamists imprisoned in March 2010 for plotting to attack US
facilities in Germany.
The AQIM claimed that Filiz Gelowicz was suffering “inhumane treatment” in a German prison.
In the video, Raupach had said his life was at risk if the woman was not freed.
However, an official of the German government told our correspondent last week that the country would not give in to blackmail.
According
to the official, the most they could do is to pay a ransom to get their
citizen back in sound health but the AQIM’s demand for a prisoner
exchange is totally unacceptable.
The
source, who pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to
speak on the matter, said Germany was very willing to negotiate with the
kidnappers.
“The
German government always keeps very strict secrecy in cases of this
nature. Of course, they are eager to negotiate with the kidnappers in
such cases.
“From
past incidents we have been successful in getting hostages released in
most cases after negotiations. We are optimistic that this won’t be an
exception.
“However,
an exchange of the prisoner in Berlin with our citizen held in Nigeria
is not a likely agreement. One was convicted for a crime by the courts
after investigations that spanned a period. She had her lawyers defend
her in court. The other is a victim of crime and has done nothing to
deserve the treatment he is receiving.
“In
fact, we are not sure if Gelowicz would like to be released through
such a case of blackmail, because she publicly distanced herself from
terrorist activities when she appeared in court.
PUNCH NG
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