Berlin - Der Spiegel magazine hailed the release yesterday of its reporter Mr Andreas Lorenz by Muslim rebels on the Philippines island of Jolo while remaining silent on whether any ransom was paid for his freedom.
Mr Lorenz (47), who was freed after 25 days' captivity at the hands of the Abu Sayyaf rebels, was now on his way home to Germany in the company of his wife and two Der Spiegel staff members, the Hamburg-based news magazine said.
A spokesman for Der Spiegel, Mr Heinz Lohfeldt, said that the reporter was naturally happy to be free and that he was well. He declined to give any detail of the circumstances of Mr Lorenz's release. He said he knew nothing about the payment of a ransom.