Posted on 02/07/2005 1:02:35 AM PST by HAL9000
Unidentified hostage-takers have seized the Spanish consulate in the Swiss capital, Berne, police said.The affluent area around the consulate has been sealed off.
Islamic?
Running translation of the local news.
Source: www.nzz.ch
The poice in Bern has reacted to a report of a hostage situation in the Spanish Consulate there.
Taking of hostages in Spanish consulate
Several unknown quantity are on Monday in the Spanish consul act in Berne one or more persons as hostages took. The taking of hostages was announced to the police at 8.10 o'clock. It can confirm nor disclaim the taking of hostages so far neither.
The environment around the consulate was spaciously locked off, as it is called Bernese in a report of the zustaedigen government governor and the city police Berne. Due to an estimate of the situation the necessary measures were introduced.
The police are treeating the report seriously. First reports were shortly after 8am CET. Further information is not available.
Europe - AP
Assailants Seize Consulate in Switzerland
7 minutes ago
Europe - AP
BERN, Switzerland - Unidentified assailants took over the Spanish consulate in Switzerland's capital on Monday, and were believed to have seized at least one hostage, police said.
Bern City Police spokeswoman Franziska Frey told The Associated Press that officers sealed off part of the upscale Kirchenfeld neighborhood after they were alerted shortly after 8 a.m.
Federal Police Office spokeswoman Daniele Bersier said federal authorities had mobilized a special unit that deals with hostage situations.
It was not clear who the hostage-takers were or if they were armed.
Disgrunted Kurd emigres from Syria, anti-IRI Persians, an Al Qaeda cell from Hamburg, even remnants of the Bader-Meinhof Gang.
Ther area is cordoned off. In the area are several foreign Embassies.
Due to the possible hostage situation, the federal police have formed a special commission.
Such commissions are formed to deal with coercive situations.
Taking of hostages in the Spanish consulate in Berne
Berne (ap) in the Spanish consulate in Berne at the Monday morning allegedly one or more humans were taken as hostages. The city police locked the accomodation off spaciously, could not the incident first however not confirm. The special staff taking of hostages and extortion of the federation was activated.
The message over the taking of hostages was received at 08.10 o'clock at the city police. Therefore one or more authors are to have taken one or more persons in the Spanish consulate to the Marienstrasse in Bernese the church field accomodation as hostages. This incident can be confirmed nor disclaimed to time neither, explained the police. Police spokeswoman Franziska Frey said on request, the incident not as banal is classified.
A woman employee of the Spanish consulate did not say it on a telephone request, can information give.
Probably Michael Moore's freedom fighters.
Whatever other failings they may have-and they are manifold-that website is a gold mine of invaluable information as it relates to the War on Terror.
Okay.
That is the only news from Switzerland - the TV & radio have nothing (it's almost 10:30 here!!)
I'll bet the house it's ETA!
Thanks. I will keep that in mind.
LOL - I just love babelfish translations!!!
The UN headquarters in New York and all UN diplomats & their families, UN foreign workers, etc. should be immediately and permanently dispatched to Switzerland to deal with this crisis and similar ones that will occur in the future.
Reminds me of Clancy's Rainbow Six.
First hostage sitaution--Berne. Third hostage situation--a Spanish theme park.
This is what we call a two-fer from fiction.
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