Terrorist group threatens to execute French hostage

(Baonghean.vn) -In a video broadcast on the Internet(September 22), a terrorist group linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of a French hostage. The kidnappers threatened to execute the hostage if France continued to carry out new attacks in Iraq.

After speaking with Algerian authorities, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed the video on Monday evening. The victim, Hervé Gourdel, 55, was kidnapped by the Caliphate Group (Jund al-Khilafa) on Sunday in Algeria. The area where Hervé Gourdel was kidnapped is Tizi Ouzou.

Tizi Ouzou was previously known as a stronghold of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). However, last week, the Caliphate terrorist group led by Abdelmalek Gouri, also known as Abu Suleiman Khaled, announced that it was renouncing its ties with AQIM and pledging allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq.

Hervé Gourdel in a video that went viral on the Internet on Monday, September 22 / Photo: Internet.

The video, titled “A Message from the Algerian Caliphate Soldiers to the French Dog Hollande,” calls on “Muslims around the world to confront the crusades” of the United States and France. In the video, Hervé reads a message calling on the French President to “stop the attacks within 24 hours” to help him “get out of this mess.”

Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister, said: “The threat from terrorist groups once again demonstrates the brutality of Daesh. We will take all measures and cooperate closely with the Algerian authorities to rescue our citizens.”

However, Mr. Laurent Fabius also admitted that “the situation is extremely serious” and emphasized that “the kidnapping of French hostages will not prevent France from participating in the coalition against the Islamic State organization IS”. Mr. Laurent Fabius also asked 30 French embassies to increase vigilance for French citizens currently living and working abroad against the risk of terrorism.

Chu Thanh