A German aid worker held hostage by al-Qaeda in Pakistan for more than two years has appealed to Chancellor Angela Merkel to secure his release, in a video aired by an Arab television channel on Thursday night.
“My hope lies on you Ms. Merkel,” said the hostage who cannot be named for privacy reasons. He appeared in a video lasting around three minutes apparently recorded under duress of his captors and broadcast by Dubai-based Al-Aan TV.
The employee of a German aid organization was kidnapped along with an Italian colleague by a militant group linked with al-Qaeda from the eastern Pakistani city of Multan in January 2012.
It is the second video featuring him since the abduction while nothing is known about Italian man.
In the first one in December 2012, he asked German authorities to accept the demands of his captors.
In the fresh video the channel said was recorded in May 2013, the hostage urged German chancellor to play a personal role in his release.
“Dear Ms. Angela Merkel, I want to live. I’m scared ... and want to get out of here,” he said, “Now if necessary, come to Pakistan, protest and don’t go back without me.” He again called for the acceptance of the demands of kidnappers he referred to as mujahideen, a general term to describe Islamist militants.
“Time is running out for me. My life is dependent on the acceptance of the demands of mujahideen.” The hostage did not mention which group was holding him but sources said he was in the custody of an al-Qaeda cell controlled by Pakistani militant commander Khan Said Sajna.
The aid worker urged his wife to campaign publicly for his release.
“Go public wherever you can. Go and address big TV shows. Use papers and radio stations to demand from the German government to make the biggest possible pressure on the Pakistan government,” he said.
He appeared healthy in the video, sitting in front of a white wall, wearing glasses and reading from a paper, but he said his health had declined.
“I’ve become weak now. I suffer from panic attack and heart disturbance. I’ve a high blood pressure. I can’t sleep in the night and I’m scared. I fear for my life.”
