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Three Western tourists kidnapped in Iran
Reuters ^
| Mon 8 December
| Reuters
Posted on 12/08/2003 5:07:06 AM PST by F14 Pilot
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Three Western tourists have been kidnapped in southeastern Iran, an Interior Ministry spokesman says.
He declined to give details of the circumstances of the kidnapping or the nationalities of those involved. He told Reuters on Monday the tourists were kidnapped in the Sistan-Baluchestan province close to Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin said it was possible an unspecified number of Germans had been kidnapped but declined to provide further details.
"There are indications that Germans are possibly involved. I cannot add anything else," she said. "The foreign ministry has set up a crisis team."
Sistan-Baluchestan province is a major smuggling route used by well-armed drug runners moving heroin from Afghanistan to western Europe.
Kidnapping of Westerners is extremely rare in Iran, which has been trying to promote itself as a tourist destination in recent years.
Earlier on Monday, diplomats and government sources said at least two Westerners had been kidnapped.
TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: asia; germany; iran; mrgermany; terrorism; tourists
1
posted on
12/08/2003 5:07:07 AM PST
by
F14 Pilot
To: F14 Pilot
They must have seen the "Come See Beautiful Iran" travel brochure. You know, the one with the Ayotollah beckoning, and all the happly students and women in bathing suits in the background.
2
posted on
12/08/2003 5:14:11 AM PST
by
gg188
To: F14 Pilot
Let's hope this doesn't start a trend
3
posted on
12/08/2003 5:21:28 AM PST
by
nuconvert
("There's no point playing Christmas jingles in a section selling sausages.")
To: F14 Pilot
"But we're not Americans"!
4
posted on
12/08/2003 5:35:59 AM PST
by
Blood of Tyrants
(Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave.)
To: Blood of Tyrants
"But you're not Muslims!"
5
posted on
12/08/2003 5:39:44 AM PST
by
Guillermo
(Go Dawgs, Sic 'em!)
To: F14 Pilot
These 3 are almost Darwin Award candidates
6
posted on
12/08/2003 5:43:21 AM PST
by
whattajoke
(Neutiquam erro.)
To: Guillermo
They just don't get it.
7
posted on
12/08/2003 5:47:11 AM PST
by
Blood of Tyrants
(Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave.)
To: gg188
They were runners up in a travel agency contest;
winner got North Korea.
8
posted on
12/08/2003 6:51:02 AM PST
by
norton
To: F14 Pilot; All
It´s confirmed now, two of the three hostages are German, the other is Irish. Prayers needed!
To: whattajoke
Besides Iran, which other countries would qualify one for the Darwin Award if one travelled to them?
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