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AFP - Getty Images / Thanassis Stavrakis
French President Francois Hollande speaks during a press conference after a meeting with Greece's Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at Maximos mansion in Athens on Tuesday. The president said the seven French nationals kidnapped in Cameron were been taken by a "terrorist group that we know and that is in Nigeria."
Gunmen from Nigeria kidnapped a French family that included four children on Tuesday in northern Cameroon near the border with Nigeria, French President Francois Hollande said.
They were apparently tourists, he said.
The risk of attacks on French nationals and interests in Africa has risen since France sent forces into Mali last month to help oust Islamist rebels occupying the country's north.
"They have been taken by a terrorist group that we know and that is in Nigeria," Hollande told reporters during a visit to Greece. Islamist militants in northern Nigeria now pose the biggest threat to stability in Africa's top oil-producing state.
Radio France International had earlier reported the kidnapping, saying that the seven people were nabbed by armed men on motorbikes and were being taken towards Nigeria.
Western governments have grown concerned that Nigeria's radical Islamists may link up with groups elsewhere in the region, particularly al-Qaida's North African wing, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, given the conflict in nearby Mali.
The seven tourists were abducted at around 7 a.m. in a village about six miles from the Nigerian border near the Waza national park and Lake Chad in the extreme north of Cameroon where Westerners often go for holidays.
It was the first case of foreigners being seized in the mostly Muslim north of Cameroon, a former French colony.
"I see the hand of (Nigerian militants) Boko Haram in that part of Cameroon. France is in Mali, and it will continue until its mission is completed," Hollande said.
France intervened in Mali last month when Islamist rebels, after hijacking a rebellion by ethnic Tuareg MNLA separatists to seize control of the north in the confusion following a military coup, pushed south towards the capital, Bamako.
Eight French citizens are already being held in West Africa's Sahel region by al-Qaida-affiliated groups.
Cameroon Information Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said he could not immediately confirm the kidnapping report.
On Sunday, seven foreigners were snatched from the compound of Lebanese construction company Setraco in northern Nigeria's Bauchi state, and al-Qaida-linked Ansaru took responsibility.
Northern Nigeria is increasingly afflicted by attacks and kidnappings by Islamist militants. Ansaru, which rose to prominence only in recent months, has also claimed the abduction in December of a French national who is still missing.
An Ansaru statement said kidnappings were driven by "the transgression and atrocities done to the religion of Allah by the European countries in many places, such as Afghanistan and Mali."
Related:
European Union approves €20 million in aid for Mali
Malian students head back to school after Islamist rebels expelled from Gao
Nigeria cautiously welcomes Boko Haram ceasefire
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:06 AM EST
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
The Western Press plays a different tune, rather the real story behind these kidnappings.. When the public lets the News Media get away with referring to these Kidnappings as "Islamist militants".. It plays down the real issue of TERRORISM. Not just in Nigeria. But worldwide.. The truth is it's really ISLAMIC TERRORISM..
Now now, mustn't be politically incorrect toward our little brown brothers, right?
This is not the first time that French tourists have been kidnapped in and near Waza. What idiots. Eco tourists who also assist medical personel in that god forsaken corner of a godforsaken continent. How many more french tourists have to die before they figure it out? What idiots.
Nobody ever accused the average French tourist of being the next Einstein.
It's a no-brainer. Don't vacation in or near countries engaged in civil war or with know terrorist strongholds. Duh.
Face palm-seriously! Nigeria is a pimple in the armpit that is Africa.
If you want to do your good deeds at least leave your children where they are safe
And, "pimple" may be the best compliment ever paid Nigeria, that I have heard at least.
Who cares! The muslims will kill them because that is what muslims do! Why would any white looking crackers be the least bit interested in going into one of these dirty muslim slum countries!
Reap what you sow you stupid mother effers!
Because they're LIBERALS. And that is what liberals do, they visit dirty poor slum countries and try to spend time teaching their little kids that everyone "is the same" and to "take care of the less fortunate." So, it backfired this time and they get their whole family shot like pigs, better luck next time , libs.
As usual, many political rants, lots of errors and misconceptions, and a good number of posts off-topic. The point is that a Frencch couple and their kids have been kidnapped. France will respond, probably with its military, or it will try to negotiate. Maybe they'll succeed, maybe not. But I do agree with some posters: why would anyone take their children there for a holiday? Why go anyway? I have a friend there; he's 26; he thinks he's immortal.
William,France is one country that usually negotiates with kidnappers and people in these countries know that.I'm hoping for the best for this family.
Times like this I am sooooo glad the USA has no colonies in Africa. Sheesh, it'd be like trying to take care of a leper baby with dwarfism, mongolism, and rickets, all at the same time.
These French were vacationing in Cameroon- they stayed overnight at the Waza Natural Park- which is a native reserve- located in northern Cameroon and in their vehicle in Dadanya area when 5 men on motorbikes took them hostage (10 km from Nigeria border). Their vehicle was recovered near the Cameroon/Nigeria border. It is not only Boko Harem but there is a new terrorist extreme jihadis named Ansaru. The 7 foreigners who were kidnapped in Nigeria and working for the Lebanese owned Setraca International Holding Co. were 4 Lebanese- 1 Briton-1 Itaklian-1 Greek,although Lebanese tell of only 2 being kidnapped. They are building roads and bridges in Nigeria (infrastructure). Whether the kidnappers tracked the 7 French (4 kids) by their vehicle description or by their looks (profiling )- no one ever thought Cameroon would be overrun by the extreme jihadists from neighboring country.
These guys are out of control. We need to hunt them down like dogs and kill them all as it seems it is the only thing they understand. Normally I would not advocate for such extreme measures but how else are we to deal with them. They cannot be content to just stay in their own areas and live their confused lives and leave others alone, they some how think they can do whatever they want, killing and maiming as they go and think what they are doing is fine. If they want violence then the world should come together and go after them until they are no more.
No, Krj, you don't understand. It's George Bush's fault, he's created all of these jihadis by his actions. Muslims were peaceful, loving people before Bush started all of this trouble. God help us.
shut the f up you GD doosh! Muslims were really peace loving when they took out our towers (that was actually your buddy Clinton's fault so don't even go their you liberal puke mother effer)? When they bombed the Cole?
Muslims have been disgracing themselves since their creation and they have only gotten worse over the years.
Bush finally said "we will not yield to you pukes like that puzzy Clinton did we will slaughter your puke muslim arses one way or another!"
Are you Mike the muslime ? Your full of "it" !! islam is the worlds biggest problem and qurans should be barred from every civilized country !! I love the smell of qurans burning !!
Mike,
Was that BEFORE or AFTER the towers went down, put(Z)?
Anyway, the "dumb" Bush was just sitting in a first grade class, peacefully, bothering no one, when the towers went down.
The "logic" of the left-wing jackwagons never ceases to amaze me.
Next......?
Mike,
Reading your post again, I have to apologize. You were being sarcastic!!!
I'm game. I can think of easily 20 major Muslim cities that should be nuked, like, yesterday.
The French and all other civilized nations need to round up muslim garbage and give them the fast track back to their 3rd world ....hole to live !! Burn any garbage qurans left behind and return to the good life without islam !!
shut the f up you muslim loving doosh bags! Muslims were really peace loving when they took out our towers (that was actually your buddy Clinton's fault so don't even go their you liberal puke mother effer)? When they bombed the Cole?
Muslims have been disgracing themselves since their creation and they have only gotten worse over the years.
Bush finally said "we will not yield to you pukes like that puzzy Clinton did we will slaughter your puke muslim arses one way or another!"
Normally I like anti-Muslim people, but your grammar is so bad that I may just stay neutral on this one.
If you venture to any country with a large number of Islamists and they are involved in jihad as they all are no matter where there at you will pay the price. Don't be fooled they look for easy saps to kidnap to use for ransom so they can do more jihad and more killing which is their life blood. This is so Forrest Gump. Stupid is as stupid does!
complete idiots are the parents....france should risk no lives trying to rescue these people with no brains.
Yeah, lets not blame the kidnappers. After all, that would just make wayyyy too much sense.
Yes, because keep in the mind these parents have already procreated and passed down their "stupid" genes. Rats, there is no upside to any of this.
you better be nice to the nigerian nationalists, you never know, one may be president of the United States someday.
figures muslims are no good, evil bastards,, they will behead these people, sad, but islam does not preach peace, it preaches kill those who dont belive in mohammand, well i think mohammand is a pedofile, and a loser, and if they want a jihad agasint me? bring it on,l im not afraid of those islamic losers
Yes, but tell us something we don't know already please.
Honorary Darwin Awards in my opinion. More stupid people weeding themselves out of the gene pool is never a bad thing.
muslims know no law other than their own dirty koran....when will the world wake up? They view us as "Kafirs" or Infidels" and think we are all bomb fodder to promote their Godless "cause".
Why would anyone want to visit such a place?
Maybe they had family that lived their?
For the tacos?
Let's suppose I am a gang banger in downtown Los Angeles, and my god is Alphonso moonshine,I go around tell people that I am religious, I tell my followers that our god Alphonso moonshine wants all none believers dead, And we go after and kill people who talk negatively about Alphonso moon shine. Now I already mentioned I am a good for nothing, I use religion to enslave and intimidate none members. That is ISLAM.
If you are looking for trouble you will find it in Africa.
It seems that every former French colony is a third world country.Why people,even the French travel to these places is beyond me.In these countries poverty abounds and the kidnappers are probably counting on a ransom for them.I am hoping for a good outcome for these tourists.
I believe the French will try to negotiate, but the other side will not. The other side is more inclined to kill that family than return them. They get more out of upsetting the French nation than getting ransom money, they are after all fully sponsored. We'll find out soon enough.
Hoping for the best.... or the extreme Right in France might be in motion and more Muslims could die there from secondary hatred.
"Hi Sweetie, want to take the four kids and go visit... Cameroon?" "Sure, sounds FUN to me!!!!!!"
Oh for Pete's sake, who the hell cares. The French apparently will never learn, so at least they are consistent. Nigeria is a horrible place, which should be just done away with as it provides nothing to the world but email scams.
I got an email once from a Nigerian prince who wanted me to have $19,000,000 of his personal fortune, and all I had to do was give him my social security number, my bank account number, my mothers maiden name and a copy of my signature. Something was a bit fishy about the whole thing so I decided not to do it, but I did forward the email to a guy I worked with.
The frenchies ain't gonna make it there. I worked with a few on a project one time. They were sent over here to learn how to upgrade a piece of machinery we had sold them. None of them had a clue about anything and all three of them never heard of soap or deodorant. Wore the same shirt all week and by friday the fat one smelled like a double order of toasted cat's a$$holes.
The french must think they are in charge over there, well I guess not . Seems that the animals have taken over the zoo and the french will get devoured. Run like hell if you are a civilized person living there.