A Swiss couple abducted in July from Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province by the Pakistani Taliban appeared in two videos released Tuesday, pleading for their lives.
Pakistan's Taliban have claimed responsibility for kidnapping the couple who were seized from the Loralai district of southwestern Baluchistan province on July 1. Pakistani media have identified them as Olivier David Och, 31, and Daniela Widmer, 29.
In the first video, the male hostage addressed the Pakistani, Swiss and American governments in English, asking them to release Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist imprisoned in the United States, and Taliban fighters in Pakistan's custody.
"When you don't do these things, it is possible we will die," the man said.
The man then held up a copy of a newspaper published in Peshawar, dated August 13, 2011.
In the second video, the kidnapped couple, speaking in German, held up a newspaper dated September 15, and were seen sitting outdoors with four militants behind them. Three of the militants held assault rifles.
The videos, given to Reuters by a resident of North Waziristan, could not be independently authenticated. The video in German is also available on YouTube.
On July 29, deputy Pakistani Taliban leader Wali-ur-Rehman demanded the release of 38-year-old neuroscientist Siddiqui in exchange for the couple's freedom.
Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in jail by a U.S. judge in September 2010 after she was convicted of shooting at FBI agents and soldiers following her arrest in Afghanistan.
Taliban seek comrades release for Swiss couple (
The Nation News Paper)
The Taliban on Tuesday released a video of a Swiss couple kidnapped nearly four months in Balochistan.
Olivier David Och, 31, and Daniela Widmer, 28, were abducted by armed men on July 1 in the district of Loralai after entering Pakistan from India, and plans to travel to Iran and Turkey.
"This is the announcement, a new commercial for the Swiss government for the government of Pakistan and the U.S. government," Och said, holding a local newspaper in English, dated September 15.
"We are in danger here, and please leave Aafia Siddiqui in America, and so please let prisoners Taliban Pakistan," he said in the video seen by the correspondent of DPA. "Let them go, because we are under stress, we have much of a problem. If not, I think, is the last time you can talk to this government."
The Taliban originally demanded $ 5 million from the Swiss government, an intelligence official said.
"The Swiss government has established some indirect contacts with the Taliban and are in negotiations, which are not part of the negotiations," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The Taliban have also demanded the release of 100 prisoners." In another video in German, the couple held a different newspaper from the same date. Widmer was wearing a red scarf over the head, while four armed men were behind the couple.
They wore masks and gloves.
The videos are more than a month, but the Taliban sources confirmed Tuesday news agency DPA that the couple is still alive.
Waliur Rehman, deputy chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said July 29 that his organization was holding the couple.
"We have not subjected the couple to any kind of violence and have no intention of doing so, but we know that Dr. Aafia was beaten by the U.S., while she was in captivity," he said.
The militant leader warned that if Aafia was not released, the Islamic court will decide the fate of the Swiss. Warned that the group would not hesitate to take any kind of punishment, an indirect reference to previous executions of Westerners.
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