E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSIntelligence officials tell NBC News four of the five Americans working at the natural gas complex survived: two escaped and two more are being held. The kidnappers are saying they will exchange the US hostages for two high-profile terror suspects currently in US custody. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
One American was killed and two escaped unharmed from a natural gas complex in Algeria that was stormed by armed militants, U.S. officials said Friday. The fate of two others was unclear.
The officials said there was a total of five Americans at the In Amenas plant in eastern Algeria when the attackers seized dozens of hostages on Wednesday. The officials say two of the Americans managed to conceal themselves when the attack began and later escaped unharmed.
One U.S. citizen was found dead Friday by Algerian forces that had launched a raid on Thursday in an attempt to free the hostages, the officials said.
The deceased American was identified as Frederick Buttaccio, a U.S. official confirmed. Buttaccio's remains have been recovered from the plant and his family has been notified, the official said.
The official did not know the circumstances of Buttaccio's death.
Al-Qaida-linked militants claimed Friday that they were holding two American hostages and would exchange them for two people being held in the United States — the blind sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, convicted in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and Aafie Siddiqque a 40-year-old Pakistani neuroscientist and mother of three, who was convicted of attacking U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
That would appear to account for all five Americans thought to have been at the plant, one U.S. official said, if the militants are telling the truth.
On Friday, the Algerian military had launched a second raid on the multinational cabal of kidnappers — led by a one-eyed al-Qaida associate — who laid siege to the In Amenas gas plant on Wednesday, state TV reported.
The situation was fluid, but the U.S. said one thing was carved in stone: It would not be cutting any deals with the captors.
"The United States does not negotiate with terrorists," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of reports the militants were seeking the release of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who is serving a life term for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist convicted of trying to kill U.S. soldiers after being arrested in Afghanistan in 2008.
Nuland confirmed there were Americans still being held alive but did not say how many.
The official Algerian news service APS said a total of 132 foreign nationals were taken hostage, and 100 had been freed by midday Friday. It said more than 500 Algerians had also been rescued.
Citing a security source, APS said 12 hostages, including some Westerners, were killed when Algeria staged its first rescue raid on Thursday without consulting other countries in advance. Eighteen militants were killed, it reported.
McFaul family via Reuters
Belfast native Stephen McFaul (right) is pictured with his sons Dylan (left) and Jake in this family handout photo taken four years ago and made available Thursday.
NBC News could not confirm the figures. The French government confirmed one of its citizens had died, and its defense minister said in an interview on France 3 TV Saturday morning that he believed no more French nationals were being held at the plant.
One worker told Reuters that the hostage-takers were out for blood.
"The terrorists told us at the very start that they would not hurt Muslims but were only interested in the Christians and infidels," said the man, who gave his name as Abdelkader. "'We will kill them,' they said."
The brother of escapee Stephen McFaul said the hostages had their mouths taped and their necks draped with explosives. They were being trucked around the compound when the Algerian military hit the compound with explosives, he told Reuters.
"The truck my brother was in crashed and at that stage Stephen was able to make a break for his freedom," Brian McFaul said after speaking with his brother’s wife. "He presumed everyone else in the other trucks was killed."
A French catering employee who worked at the plant said he spent 40 hours hiding under a bed after the militants stormed in Wednesday with a spray of gunfire, only emerging when the soldiers arrived.
"I could see myself ending up in a wooden box," Alexandre Berceaux told Europe 1 radio.
One rescued hostage told Algerian TV that the ordeal was an "exciting episode" and he was "impressed" with the army.
"I feel sorry for anybody who has been hurt, but other than that, I quite enjoyed it," the man said.
Algerian TV via Reuters TV
A British escapee, interviewed by Algerian TV, says the Algerian army did a "fantastic job" with Thursday's rescue.
Another said he was "very, very relieved to be out."
"Obviously, we still don't really know what is happening back on the site, so as much as we are glad to be out, our thoughts are with colleagues who are still there at the moment," he said on Algerian TV.
The militants' attack on the plant, operated in part by BP, was reportedly masterminded by Mokhtar bel Mokhtar, an Algerian with ties to al-Qaida who specializes in lucrative kidnappings and smuggling, according to U.S. officials. He earned the nickname Mr. Marlboro for trafficking cigarettes.
The raiding jihadists were described as a motley crew by an escaped radio operator who told Reuters: "Some were clean, others were dirty, some with beards, others without, and among them a French national with sunglasses."
The Mauritanian news agency ANI reported the group was retaliating over French military action against Islamic incursions in neighboring Mali. But the French operation began just a week ago and the assault on the plant appeared to be long-planned.
On Friday, another possible motive emerged, as ANI said the militants put forth the offer of the prisoner swap.
The offer was not verified by NBC News, but an ANI editor told The Associated Press the kidnappers’ spokesman began calling Thursday with "sounds of war in the background" and "threatened to kill all the hostages if the Algerian forces tried to liberate them."
British Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons in London that Algeria maintains it green-lighted Thursday’s rescue raid because hostages’ lives were in danger when it appeared the militants were trying to spirit them out of the compound.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she spoke with the prime minister of Algeria on Friday and requested that the "utmost care" be taken to protect the hostages.
"This is an extremely dangerous situation," she said. "No one knows better than Algeria how ruthless these groups are."
Kari Huus, Catherine Chomiak and Courtney Kube of NBC News and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
Expert: Islamists' Algeria raid could inspire copycat attacks
Details emerge in militant takeover, rescue operation at Algeria gas field
Violence in Mali, Algeria raises fresh fear of radical Islam
US military cargo planes to help French in Mali
Algerian militant dubbed 'Mr Marlboro' raked in millions from kidnappings
Leave a Comment:
Well for one thing - this isn't happening in the ME.
Well, you can add another dead American to Obama's list of wiping out, "White's". Isn't this what he wants? We all know it is. This is the same talk that was going on when Benghazi was happening. Obama was suppose to have set-up Ambassador Stevens to go in as an opportunity for trade of the Blind Sheik, and look what O set him up for.That didn't go the way Obama and Hillary planned. This fake President has so many people fooled, and the worse part is, there are so many that are falling for this ripping apart of our country. It's not for the lack of people trying to remove him, but just like the mafia, he's either paid judges off, or he's threatened the ones he couldn't. This whole 2nd Inaugeration is the biggest sham in the history of our Nation, and everyone knows it. Now he's going to give China all our secret military information, and he wants our guns gone so he can overthrow our country once and for all. I'll pray for this country, and it's people. We can't give up our guns just to be trampled on.
To..Lydia""""
Who told you that ...what a hoot
LOL.. stop drinking the koolaid.. you lost me after you said "Fake President". He is president. I bet you don't hold BUSH accountable for all the murdered americans in his administration do ya
Wow, you got that far? I got no further than the first sentence and quickly I was reading a comment from someone who is not playing with a full deck.
quickly realized.
Whoops!
What Americans did Bush Murder?
If he murdered someone A G Holder should file charges.
I'm guessing ITSABOUTTIME is smarter than Eric Holder.
Can't negotiate with Muslims. It's a waste of time. The only thing they understand is death, they worship it, they say so, every day. Hand it to them in very large doses.
Islam is poison.
Though it hurts when Americans lose their life by terrorism from hateful evil people. Therefore the response by our Government should be to rescue when we can and punish those responsible for there deeds. United States Military is the best in the world and you messing with the wrong Government. Drone drop dead mother blep you are a piece of blep and this world will be a better place with out your hate.
The US military collectively hates the "janitor who awoke president, and countless of Americas soldiers have voiced the "sickness" they feel every time islamobama uses them in some cheap propaganda trick!
Goodbye middle east just blow up, problem solved
A problem in Africa won't be solved by nuking the Middle East. Unless you're hoping for an all-out nuclear holocaust. Would "solve" a lot of problems, alrighty...
You do understand that "Mutually Assured Destruction" goes right out the window as soon as anyone pushes the button, right?
Goodbye middle east just blow up, problem solved
Maybe you could look at a map before you comment?
And STILL no comments from our Commander-in-Chief..... he's to busy getting his crown fitted to bother with the MURDER of American citizens.....
Where's Hillary? Is her head hurting again?
What about Harry Reid? He's so intent on saving even one life........
Why don't you tell us exactly what he should say to please you. Then you tear it apart for still not meeting 100% of your expectations.
Its amazing how you righties INGORE the 54 murdered Americans under BUSH in 12 embassy attacks.
Simple Question.. are you willing to give up your life, your childrens life, a family/friend, and go into terrorists situations to defend our nation?
He should say," We Americans are sick of damn Islam and were going to fuuck them up now."
Then he should say for every American killed by Islamist we will blow up 5 mosques. Starting with the largest ones and we won't wait until they are empty.
He can finish with God Is Great.
Starting with the murderous mosques in America! We will eventually pay for our "naivete" with the lives of decent Americans, known to islamists as "infidels"!
And while you are at it get rid of Obummer as well, another problem solved.
Ahhh republicans ...the reason why there will always be terrorists in this world..
Yeah, bush's fault.
Islam has nothing to do with it.
Who do you blame for Blood thirsty Islam before America was discovered?
I seem to recall that it was Jimmy Carter who was president when he allowed our embassy in Iran to be held hostage for over a year. I also recall that after 9-1-1 that everyone was calling for blood and for all the terrorists to be killed. The democrats need to quit trying to blame others for their mistakes. Obama took soldiers from Iraq and put them in Afghanistan....troops are still being deployed to Afghanistan. Obama is the one still selling true assault weapons to the countries that wish to kill us.
AMUNAKA, Man THAT NAME SURE SOUNDS muslim........... America, love it are leave it!!!!!!!!!!
When are we, as a nation, going to tell these evil radical bastards, enough? We must stop them before they take over more territory.
First, we need to start fighting a war like it is a war and there is no such think as a humane war. People die and if you put weapons in your family houses and churches then they are all fair game.
Trade the terrorists for the hostages, first infect them with a deadly virus that has a three day incubation. Like lemonade from lemons.
Stick a time bomb up his asss then make the trade.
We know where these guys are and we can get the soldiers there so let's take them out and send a clear message to others who would do the same thing. If you negotiate with them you will have an open house on every gas, oil, and tourist area in the world. Unfortunately some have died and more will probably die. We need to make sure that all the terrorists are dead when the dust clears.
There should be no negotiating with this vermin. Take the folks they want to trade for and execute them and send the video to the vermin and let them see. Send in the Algerian commandos and tell them to try but if folks are killed that's collateral damage, just make sure you eliminate every one who is a militant muslim extremist.
Well, this is several times now, nothing done by Hussein, I guess we will set back and let these Sons a Bitches just kick the Sh-t out of us. Damn shame, Its past time the Yellow bellied, spineless Idiot we call president does something. However he must please his Muslim brothers..... WAKE UP AMERICA..
Responsible questioning of American policy does not equate to being a "hater"--I LOVE that term. But if you're going to use it, please get it right. Anyone who questions the actions or wisdom of the current administration is a "NAZI/RACIST/SEXIST/HOMOPHOBE/AMERICAN TALIBAN/HOLOCAUST-DENYING ANTISEMITE" killer of polar bears and baby seals (there are MORE polar bears than 20 years ago, and how about the BABY HUMANS killed through abortion??), etc. Anyone who says the earth's axis is oriented toward the North Star/Polaris--if you're a Democrat or journalist, you're a well informed college educated genius; if you're a Republican or conservative or libertarian or T.E.A. Party enthusiast, you're stating the obvious and an idiot. Do ALL public school teachers see and teach things this way? Is journalistic objectivity a contradiction in terms?
The Middle East is in many ways the cradle of Western civilization and the three major monotheist faiths--Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There will always be conflict in this region as long as there are humans there competing for the same resources. Our government is always doing more behind the scenes than what makes it to the evening news. Our foreign policy establishment, including the State Department, has the highest concentration of broad-gauge thinking highly educated minds our nation produces. They operate in incredibly tough and dangerous environments around the world. I'm willing to give them some credit for holding things together as well as they do, but they are not God and they can't contain all of fallen human nature.
Here's hoping the realists hold sway, and are free to call it like they see it. Let's hope our own ideologies and biases don't prevent us from seeing the threats as they are. With the complexity of the entire region, from Morocco to India, let's hope we can act with restraint, precision, and with our own nations' interests in mind.
With two hostages still being held, if you know how to pray, now's the time...
Our new Secretary of State needs to introduce video number two, describing our views as a Nation of tolerance and many religious beliefs inter wound within our boarders. The video can then go on to assure them, that if they cooperate and turn over all hostages without incident, the Nancy water boarding treatments will be waived. Gitmo will still be opened for business and free room and board with Sunday shuffle board will await them.
Has obama apoligized to the militants yet, and is their check in the mail?? They are obamas people what does America expect?
" All the while Afghanistan negotiations are progressing handsomely."
The Taliban Times
I don't understand this. I thought we had decimated al-Qaeda? I thought the current US leader made that his signature accomplishment?
Watch the white house. They will concentrate on ..... Oh look or here............. They will side step like always............
Execute the blind sheik tonight.
Don't negotiate with Islamic/Muslim vermin.
Islam is poison.
According to the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, since the beginning of the first Palestinian uprising on Dec. 9, 1987, Israel and its radical Jewish-supremacist colonists in the occupied territories have shot, beaten, bombed, rocketed, tortured or gassed to death 7,877 people, including children, woman and the elderly. Israeli troops have targeted children and journalists for death.
Israel has also continued its property theft, property destruction, water resource theft, and other natural resource theft in occupied territory for illegal Jews-only settlement and colonization, unencumbered by any US sanction or objection. Quite to the contrary, naive, obedient, compliant, well-meaning US taxpayers who are largely uninformed about the Middle East continue to subsidize and weaponize Israel more generously than any other nation on earth.
The former Chief Separdi Rabbi of Israel and founder of the extremist Shas Party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, has declared from the pulpit: "The Arabs are vipers, we must exterminate their seed."
Uzi Landau, who was appointed by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to be a minister in the Israeli Cabinet, declared publicly: "Israel should treat the Palestinians the way Saddam Hussein dealt with the Kurds."
Despite America's generosity, Israel is known to run an extensive espionage operation in the United States. Israel is busy stealing America's industrial secrets, our science and technology secrets, our military secrets, and our highly-enriched uranium (HEU 235). In fact, there is a well-worn saying at the Pentagon: "America's most sensitive military secrets make their way to Israel at the speed of light."
Now what are you going to do about Zionist Jews? Call them vermin? Execute them? Poison them?
Light Mirror (love the moniker by the way), you might like David Beinart's book "The Crisis of Zionism" where he addresses American Jews having to shift from a mentality of victimhood which justifies any actions to an ethos based on the reality of their power. He notes that five of the last six editors of the New York Times, which essentially sets the agenda for the press and America, have been Jews. He makes a distinction between supporting the "righteous" Zionism of the democratic state of Israel WITHIN Israel's borders and the FASCIST power-structure of Israelis overwhelming the Palestinians in the West Bank.
Chris Hedges, a Harvard Divinity School graduate and prolific author, argued in his book, "The World As It Is: Dispatches on the Myth of Human Progress" [New York: Nation Books, 2001, 2010] that Zionists who have used brutal tactics cannot hide behind Auschwitz and the six million. He argues rather vehemently that those who commit atrocities should be tried at the Hague, regardless of their nationality.
I would agree with those who believe it is possible to hold Israel accountable for its actions without being a Jew-hater or Holocaust Denier. My best friend and colleague is Jewish and so is my Savior, Y'shua (Jesus).
The terrorists will not take any more hostages in Algeria because it will be cheaper to send a suicide bomber to kill a few dozen foreigners; however, the cost to hire a foreigner to work there will be double not including the cost of a private army to protect them and the installation!!!
Since many governments including the US will not negotiate with terrorists, there should be an international rapid-deployment force similar to Interpol to rescue the hostage ASAP.
Nonsense. Israel routinely negotiates with Hamas and Hezbollah "terrorists" (whatever that political term means). In fact, Israel has even had a prisoner swap with Hezbollah in Lebanon. And the US is now negotiating with the Taliban and will do so increasingly going forward, as the US extricates itself from Afghanistan and its longest occupation.
Regarding Israel, the latest crisis in November with Gaza and its militant groups, including Hamas, was started by Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin "Bi-Bi" Netanyahu when he assassinated Ahmed al-Jaabari, the commander of Ezedin al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas. Ahmed Jaabari was also the negotiator with Israel for the release of the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and negotiated several cease-fires with Israel. In fact, Ahmed Jaabari was working on a long-term cease-fire with Israel when he was assassinated. Now that possibility is off the table and the hardliners in Israel, including Netanyahu and his foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman (a known ethnic cleanser) have "won," or so they think.
The US government might as well face it. When the US and France, egged on by Israel, subverted a democratic election in Algeria in the 1990s after Islamist parties won, it sowed the seeds of bitter anger and radicalism against America and the West. Now, military force won't work, as elite Algerian army units trying to free the hostages in two raids have demonstrated. It's time to talk. And changing US Middle East policy will make America safer.
It is long past the time to return the blind sheik. In a body bag, soaked in pig blood.
Islam is not a race. It is an ideology of blood lust, hate, submission, conquest and death. Muslims are not a race. They are adherents of Islam. To question Islam/Muslims is not racism or bigotry except in the minds of libtard idiots. Any ideology, especially superstitious ones, can be questioned, criticized and ridiculed. We do still have free speech here whether you like it or not. Religion has had a free pass for thousands of years ... that's way too long. It has done nothing to deserve the free pass, so screw it, esp. Islam.
Islam is poison.
We killed Ben luden, made a movie about it, made Hollywood millions, made our president look like the greatest hero in the world, what next America, better lookout for One world Goverment, to me this what obama is all about.
Gosh...don't we all feel so safe and warm and cuddly knowing obama and hillary are all "large and incharge" over in Mali and all of N. Africa?...al queada all gone or on the run...so wonderful that 'commander-in-chief'...
freaking nitwits...the three stooges could do a better job!
give em up or we hang the shiek by his short hairs. how bout that.