Americans held hostage in Egypt

Published Monday, July 16, 2012

Egyptian security officials said on Monday that they will not give in to the demands of a Bedouin man who took hostage two Americans and their local translator four days ago.

Boston-area residents Pentecostal Reverend Michel Louis, 61, and 39-year-old Lissa Alphonse were taken off a bus on Friday with their Egyptian tour guide on a road in the Sinai Peninsula.

Their captor reiterated on Monday his earlier ultimatum that he would free them until Egyptian authorities released his 62-year-old uncle, who he claims is suffering from back and heart problems as well as diabetes.

The two Americans were on a tour frequently targeted by Bedouins who abduct foreigners to pressure police to meet their demands, usually the release of detainees they say have been unjustly arrested.
In previous cases, tourists have not been physically harmed.

The 32-year-old hostage-taker, Jimmy Abu-Masuh, told The Associated Press by telephone that the hostages were being fed, offered tea and coffee and sleeping in his home. He said he would not release them until there was a swap for his detained uncle.

The translator, Haytham Ragab, 28, told AP on Friday from the captor's phone that they had been fed roast lamb. He confirmed they were sleeping in Abu-Masuh's home deep in the harsh mountain terrain of central Sinai.

The Arab Bedouins of the sparsely populated peninsula have long-running tensions with the government in Cairo, and with the security forces in particular. They complain of state discrimination in the development of their region.

Bedouin and Egyptian rights groups say the security forces are responsible for many abuses in the peninsula.

Police hunting fugitives have staged mass arrests to pressure families to hand over their relatives. They frequently enter homes by force and detain women – particularly provocative acts in conservative Bedouin society.

Abu-Masuh has complained that the security forces' treatment of Bedouins has not improved, despite Mubarak's overthrow in a 2011 uprising.

Egyptian officials said they will not release the uncle, who was taken into custody last week.
They said Abu-Masuh's uncle was detained on Saturday for 15 days pending investigation for alleged possession of drugs. Abu-Masuh says his uncle is being held for refusing to pay a police bribe.
He added that two intelligence officials met him Saturday to negotiate the captives' release.

(AP, Al-Akhbar)

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