By Al Russell.
Tripoli, 10 August:
The Libyan Red . . .[restrict]Crescent has no idea if or when seven Iranian Iranian employees abducted in Benghazi ten days ago will be released, the organisation’s General Secretary, Abdulhamid Elmadani, has told the Libya Herald.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has announced that a delegation, including Hassan Qashqavi , the Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs, will travel to Libya imminently to look into the case.
The seven were seized at around 1 a.m. on 31 July, while returning to the Tibesti hotel from the headquarters of the Libyan Red Crescent.
“The Iranians are still being detained and we are unable to predict when they will be released”, Elmadani said.
An official who has been in contact with the kidnappers confirmed that they were Islamic extremists, but declined to name the group responsible.
He said he had been told that the Iranians had been seized for interrogation, to ensure their visit was not an attempt to spread Shiite Islam.
“The ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) remains ready as a neutral organisation to help facilitate the release of the Red Crescent staff” Soaade Messoudi, Communication Coordinator for the ICRC, told the Libya Herald today.
“We have no further information concerning the staff… but remain very worried and concerned about their safety and have been in close contact with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies regarding their situation; we hope for a quick release.” Said Ms Messoudi.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a non-political and non-religious humanitarian organisation, however this is not the first example of it being targeted in this country due to perceptions that it has religious purposes.
The ICRC suspended operations in Misrata and Benghazi last week due to continued attacks on its buildings. Ms Messoudi stated in an earlier interview with the Libya Herald that she believes it is a target due to misconceptions that it is a Christian organisation. [/restrict]
