Abducted Dutch said handed over to Yemen mediators

By Mohamed Sudam

SANAA (Reuters) - A Dutch couple seized by Yemeni tribesmen two weeks ago were handed over to mediators on Monday, one of the kidnappers was quoted as saying after a Yemeni official said the pair had been released.

Ali Nasser Siraj, identified in local media reports as a leader of the kidnappers, told an opposition website (www.alsahwa-yemen.net) the couple were handed over to mediators and would leave for the capital Sanaa early on Tuesday.

Siraj told the website that authorities had accepted his demands, but gave no details. The website quoted unnamed local sources as saying mediators had paid 10 million rials (33,875 pounds) to the abductors as compensation and promised another 55 million in a few weeks.

The couple were kidnapped at gunpoint on March 31 by tribesmen demanding government compensation over a shooting.

A Yemeni security official earlier said the two were on their way to Sanaa, without elaborating. State news agency Saba also quoted a local official as saying the couple were freed.

However, an official at the Dutch embassy told Reuters: "We have been told about the release by officials. We have no comment at this time, but of course we hope it's true."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said the Dutch government did not pay ransoms: "In this particular case, local authorities negotiated with the kidnappers and we have no details of the talks and deals. We were kept out of the loop."

"WE DON'T BELIEVE IT"