LIBYA:AN ORGANISATION led by a son of Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy denied yesterday that it was negotiating the release of two Austrians believed held by al-Qaeda in north Africa.
The Gadafy Foundation charity was responding to a report by Carinthia governor Joerg Haider on Saturday that its chairman, Saif al-Islam, was in touch with the kidnappers in Mali to try to obtain the release of the hostages.
"Gadafy Foundation affirms that it has not undertaken any measures or efforts or contacts, whether direct or indirect, with the kidnappers despite the foundation, and its chairman, having received several demands to do so."
However, yesterday Austrian news agency APA quoted Haider as saying in response to the foundation's denial: "It is not an initiative of the foundation but his [Saif al-Islam's] own . . . it is a secret action." The reported role of Gadafy's son, who has studied in Austria and is a friend of right-wing populist Haider, raised some hopes for the release of the two Austrian tourists who were seized in Tunisia and are reported to be held in northern Mali.
The Algerian-based al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said it seized the two last month and has demanded a ransom and the liberation of 10 militants held in Algeria and Tunisia. It has set a deadline of midnight yesterday for its demands to be met.
Haider's spokesman said on Saturday that "negotiations in Mali have reached a decisive phase and . . . in the next few hours there could be a decision in this matter . . . a release". Saif al-Islam was involved in negotiations last year to free six foreign medics sentenced to death for infecting Libyan children with HIV.
Austria has launched an intense diplomatic campaign to try to obtain the release of the hostages.