GERMAN AND IRISH KIDNAPPED TOURISTS FREED
TEHRAN 28 Dec. (IPS) Two German and an Irish tourist kidnapped on 8 December have been found and saved alive, Iranian authorities announced Sunday.
The three Westerners were snatched near Nosrat Abad, on the road between the ancient city of Bam that was devastated Friday morning by a strong earth shake, in the Province of Kerman and Zahedan, the Capital city of the Province bordering with Pakistani and Afghanistan.
Iranian authorities have received a ransom demand by telephone, he said, without specifying the amount, that some sources put at 3 millions US Dollars, but official said they had been freed without any ransom being paid.
"I’m glad to announce that all three Western tourists who have been kidnapped were rescued and freed unharmed and they would be handed to their respective authorities soon", Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharrazi told journalists.
The tourists were on a bicycle trip when they had been kidnapped.
"Two German and an Irish national kidnapped three weeks ago are now free, thanks to close cooperation between Law Enforcement Forces, the Intelligence Ministry and Revolutionary Guards", one official pointed out, blaming also the tourists for not having signalled their presence in the region that is known to be a main drug and arms smuggling hunt ground for international smugglers. ENDS TOURISTS FREED 281203