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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
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Well well well...
BP......Natural Gas plant.....
Not oil from this plant...NATURAL GAS.......
BP again depends on World Powers to protect their asses and profit......
An earlier report stated "The attack sent shock waves through the markets and caused a spike in oil prices."
So now a bunch if rebels in a very unstable region, unstable for many many years, where risk should be factored into the cost of production, causes OIL to rise in price..
Gas prices , that are not connected to Natural Gas in any, way go up because a single plant that produces less than 1/100 of 1 percent of Natural Gas production drives up petroleum prices...
Also there is a glut of Natural Gas on the market, so much that production in the United States has been slowed to just replacement and consumption levels..
Where are the decreases in prices we were promised ?
Lies and Profiteering..
All fuel products need to be removed from speculation and should not be traded as a commodity.
National Security supposedly depends on the fuel, so it would seem to make sense that it should be regulated and a fix price due to production should be established.
World Economies could then predict operating costs and the cost would be fixed, removing costs increases just because some Nut Case decided that they want to be a bug up someones butt.
After the embargo in 72 prices were only going to head up..
Why?
Because that is the year we deregulated the industry and allowed the resource to be traded as a commodity.
And that is how you deal with terrorist thugs. Sure, there is collateral damage. I'll acknowledge that. But you do not negotiate and you do not sit back on your heels.
You send in Army Rangers and not let Algeria blow up the hostages.
Hell, have Japan send in Ninjas.
Western countries have their way of solving these affairs and it is nice to get out the hostages alive and well. But at the risk of sounding insensitive, these Islamic thugs play on our compassion as a nation and culture. I think Algeria has it RIGHT, no negotiation, just take-em out quicker than a burp in a dust storm.
they want the blind sheik. i say let them have him. bullet in the other eye and in a body bag and tell them this is your future if you want to pick a fight with us
How about sticking a time bomb up his ass then make the trade?
anything that will deliver him dead will do
Small tactical nuke up his bung would be cool. Then remote detonate it when the subhuman pigs claiming the body go to pick it up. Better yet, detonate it when they get to their home village.
Hillary is doing a bang up job.
Dead Americans here, Dead Americans there, Dead Americans every where.
Explain to everyone here, how this is in anyway Hillary's fault. This should be entertaining.
maybe they should let us americans go to any country we want to visit or find employment in with our M16s and TEC9s and SMITH&WESSON 40 CALs...maybe then people wont mess with us...
"joking"
Dumb comment about Hillary. The GOP blames Hillary, the President and Susan Rice for Libya. They'll attempt to blame them for Algeria too. The writer, MCGusto spelled everywhere "every where".......... Obviously, he's got no credibility since he can't even spell. Typical.
People like MC Gusto think the movie Team America World Police was a documentary, instead of a satire on the American attitude that we rule the world and can control events everywhere to our advantage.
We will not Negotiate with terrorists.
Associated Press 1:00 P.M.
"U.S. officials in Washington noted, however, that the Obama administration rejects any trade of hostages for convicted terrorists."
http://
hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ALGERIA_KIDNAPPING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-18-09-20-41
Good for President Obama, they already see the USA as week in that region, if the UN or USA does any negotiation it will be seen as a win for them and they will just become more aggressive and more violent.
They will more then likely kill the hostages no matter what we do. We and the UN need to hit them with everything we have.
So the U.S. government puts a blind sheik in prison without a trial with no evidence or charges against him yet he's being held indefinitely, so then militants trying to free the man put U.S. citizens in danger by taking them hostage. I hope people realize this mean the stupid tyrannical decisions of the U.S. government is putting their own citizens in danger. Our government needs to get it's nose out of everyones business and let people live in peace so that our own people can live in peace as well!
Omar is a long time murderer/terrorist who has been convicted based on evidence.
On 1 October 1995, the blind sheik was convicted of seditious conspiracy, and in 1996 was sentenced to life in prison. He was involved in the 1st world trade center bombing, then was caught having plans to set off five bombs in 10 minutes, blowing up the United Nations, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the George Washington Bridge and a federal building housing the FBI.
Keith,
Where were YOU in the 90s when the trial was held and he was found guilty?
With your head up your behind?
You want fries with that sheik?
How about we trade them for our Congress instead of the blind sheik? They're about as worthless and dangerous as the sheik.
Please do not release the blind sheik!
We don't negotiate with terrorists........Oh wait .....Yes we do ....
Never negotiate with terrorists.
If they harm their hostages, put this blind sheik into the general prison population.
First, put a couple or ten turkey basters full of rendered pork fat up his bunghole. Put lipstick and rouge on him, give him a nice blond wig, and fake tits. Soak him in perfume. Tattoo "Allah wants me to make all of you big strong manly men really happy. You don't even have to ask." right across his forehead. Then push him out the door with a shopping bag full of cigarettes and whiskey. Film it, and send a copy to Al Quaeda HQ, with some nice chocolate coated bacon and BBQ pork rinds inside the package. That should about do it.
It is kind of funny to say this what by the first report. The first report was that the refinery was attacked and ALL the hostages were release. So why is a swap being considered when ALL the hostages were FREED?????????
Keith,
On 1 October 1995, he was convicted of seditious conspiracy, and in 1996 was sentenced to life in prison for planning the first attack on the world trade center. Omar Abdel-Rahman is currently serving his life sentence at the Butner Federal Medical Center in North Carolina. He has been tried by our courts and convicted.
To terrorists: No as to the blind terrorist sheik. But we'll gladly send you the big-eared moron from the Oval Office...Let him work his magic on your country next.
@obamalies the man has a phd from harvard and a 4 years degree fron the unversity of hawaii and he's the moron? i think not sir....we will keep obama and send them W...he will mess that country up so bad we wont have to fire one shot
obama is living proof that a person with an alleged high IQ can also be dumb as shiat.....
@mcpaddywack your basing his dumbness on what logic? or are you just talking out you ass
General... Bush had better grades in college and Law School. So did I. Now, prove me wrong.
Liar, You pretty much painted the big eared Dumbo on yourself with this comment! I have read some stupid stuff, but you got stupid down perfect...
@obamalies bush daddy had to get him in princeton by force of his power in the cia...you know after the DUI and possesion of COCAINE charges he had droped...proberly had the grades bumbed up to if the professor didnt want to find himself an experiment in area 51...you may have had better grades but obama has what you dont...its called a fan base, a following, charisma,prestige...and so on
I think this trail of posts is an example of how ignorant our population is..... These Islamic terrorists are for real. They want to take away your country, in the end, rape your women, cut your throat and all you can do is joke about Obama? As a person who has traveled, these people are like chow-chows!!! They don't have even an intimate understanding of the Koran, yet they cite their behavior with the text. Other than the pigment of your skin, these Islamic devils see no difference between you and Obama; chew on that! Your throat, his throat, it doesn't matter to them.
@darkessence50 i feel you on that...they dont understand and they can careless about the americans that are in danger of dying...their fight is with the black man in office and with him only...they dont understand that these militants see american aggresive ways as the white mans tactics...you think they see obama as the face of america like the 1st 43 presidents werent white...now we have a black president and their mind has been wiped clean...naw these people havent forgot who their enemy is but neither has the racist white population either...the attacks on the black president says volumes of where their heart and fight is
I guess I just want people to understand, these are BAD people. The variables that divide us within the United States mean nothing to these terrorists; to them we are all the same. Maybe we as Americans need to realized these terrorists see the American melting pot better than we can. Our compassion gives them cause for laughter, I in turn see no difference between anyone who would seek to take away our country and a cock roach; they should experience the same fate.
Bush II went to Yale as an undergrad and has an MBA from Harvard. Both were legacy admissions (meaning he didn't have to meet the same standards regular applicants did) (I want to ask who took his exams for him, but that would be snarky.) Prescott Bush was not only a senator from Connecticut, he was also a very wealthy man who paid the way for both his son GHW, and his grandson, GW. He also had some very shady business dealings. Read House of Bush, House of Saud sometime, then come back and tell us how wonderful the Bushes (pardon me, the Shrubs) are.
So much for having a businessman as president. When one looks at the state of business in this country, I don't want a businessman running it. We're better off with a community organizer who knows that you have to work TOGETHER in order to get anything done.
The US does not and never has negotiated with terrorists.
what part of this do these idiots not understand?
wow....didn't obama the ass say that al qaeda was kaput?..........
why don't you supply his quote saying they were kaput? too lazy to answer your own question? lol.
I just cant believe any private US citizen would be stupid enough to go work in an unstable muslim country. Its bad enough for the government employees and the military but at least they have some defense capabilties. I really dont have much sympathy for these hostages it was their own stupid decision that put them there. If the US government gets them out it should charge the cost to the company that put them there and to the hostages themselves.
Steven B, are you an old B-52 guy? Just wondering from your picture, I guess it is really called an avitar
No need to worry, the President and VP keep telling us they got Osama and Al-Queda is on the run! Just give up your taxes and guns and all will be fine. We need them to send to our "friends" in Egypt and Syria!
By all legitimate means, make this swap! Everything else can be fully resolved! No problemo! - RC
moonbeamracer
No one pays ransom for a blown up refinery. They do for hostages though.
The deal we should make is we promise not to make you blind or dead if you let everyone go at this very moment. Otherwise we will be deploying drones to vaporize your worthless life.
Give them the blind guy, swap the hostages and hit 'em with a drone. One less terrorist to feed and house, and a few dead more...
Like Benghazi was even a bad loss.... seriously, During Clinton African embassy was bombed and 200 people lost their lives, not some STUPID 4 people. And Clinton sent a cruise missile to some factory that wasn't related and called it a day.
During Bush, we bombed the China embassy, and two other embassy's get bombed in the middle east with 30 + lives lost. Who cares, no one cared. Now all a sudden Benghazi is the name for a bad situation? LOLS, stop being such girls, never seen the right cry so much over so little, tactically, if on the anniversary of 9.11 we only lose 4 people, that's not that bad.
Right makes a big deal, because they HATE, I mean literally HATE Obama. So anything is a big deal to them, even though Obama has been the most tactical smart military and ruthless president in the last 80 years. We are openly bombing 7 countries right now, Obama DOES not SHY away from using force. He is SMART about it though.
US did NOT want the Algerian military just rushing in and getting hostages killed, but what can you do, its their country and they are on the ground, not much can be done, not enough time to get US troops in a position to help or provide assistance.
It's obvious that Algerian military accepts civilian casualties as long as they get those militants.
you sir are very smart and have your head on strait...
Matter of fact, if I remember correctly, Algeria was the army that was asked to leave the Korean Conflict because they refused to take prisoners; they would do war right, kill everyone in their path. Actually I can respect that, if war is the absolute last resort.
I am in Turkey at the present moment and since the only English channel is What a joke CNN international the major headline for them is the interview of Lance Armstrong with Ophra Windfrey like anybody really gives a @!$%# about a doped up bicycle rider. Very little was mentioned about this story except that terriosts have taken hostages about 5 minutes worth but they spend a half hour talking about a doped up bicycle rider. They are not about to expose OBUMMER.
Why would you look at CNN International when there are real news channels available that tell the whole story, complete with background of who these groups are, and how they developed? Look at BBC or Al Jazeera English, and get over your delusional conspiracy theory that Obama controls what news stories get reported.
the turks should be ashamed to let this person in their country...you better watch what you say about their leader...we all know what they will do to you...and no we wont be coming to save you
Please stay in Turkey, if you don't respect the president then no one wants you back in the US.
Robert would if it was available at he Hotel Iam staying. GEN SHERMAN Turks love me here and they know how I feel about Obama. Don't say anything about their leader not my country not my buisness. I served my country during Vietnam with out complaining. You my sir are a fantasy soldier.
Shaun special word for you. Who is no one you. I could give a @!$%# less what you think because I know alot of people in the USA that does not respect this President so you can KISS MY ASS.
@travelman54 its cool they have no respect for the president and we have no respect for them...i guess were even