And that is what's so startling about the Timbuktu attack, that they were able to get in and out again in broad daylight. The charge of complicity is a bit hard to avoid, isn't it? Unfortunate as that is, it feels like somebody allowed this to happen either voluntarily or under duress.

Or do people think that's unreasonable? Could a strange vehicle drive straight to the Amanar (it is conveniently right on the northwest edge of town) grab the victims who just happened to be there at the right time, and leave again, without anyone helping them or recognising them?

Richard

I think most of the grabs since 2003 have involved some sort of tip offs and then turning a blind eye (how the Austrians got from Tunisia all the way to Mali in 2008 is a good example).

But IMO 'Timbuktu' [ie: the event last Friday] seems to have either broken the rules or changed the game, and its unlikely to think they would have - or will - get away with the former.

Ch


[speculative discussions on this post moved to here]

According to this Dutch article the Swedish and South African guy where motorcyclists:
Vakantie in Mali eindigt abrupt met ontvoering – een reconstructie :: nrc.nl

The Dutch lady was just getting something out of the rooftent of the car when she saw her husband been taken away and the german, who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time being shot.
http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Binnenla...htmerrie.dhtml

Some years ago the Americans had a permanent military base in Timbuktu. I once knocked at their door and then the first question was: how you know we are here? Rather stupid, because I just had to ask some Malians for the right directions. Are they still there permanently, or are they mostly moving nowadays?

I travelled down through Mali 2 weeks ago. From the description of the people abducted, it sounds like we may have travelled with them through Mauritania. We entered Mali together then went our separate ways.

I'm desperate to find out if they are ok, I've emailed them but so far they have not replied. I've emailed the UK's FCO and SA' DFA but no response.

Any ideas on what I should do next?

Thanks

Russell

P.S Guys, you now who you are, if you are you reading this please get in touch.

Swedish guy, 36 yo biker from Stockholm, driving with a pal to South Africa. They split up temporarily as he wanted to make "a tour of the best country in WA"...
He met the dutch couple, the brit/SAn and the german and they went together to Timbuktu. And then.....really bad luck.

UPDATE here are the names!
maliweb.net :: * Enl�vements, dissidences * Etat de guerre au Nord-Mali * Kidnapp�s * Assassin�
"...a little past 13 hours. Toyota BJ station outside the hotel with four men in turbans and trellis. Of "white skin". Two rush into the hotel and close the gate.

Outside remains the driver and another standing guard at the gate, but not for long. The attackers emerged less than ten minutes later with the three tourists they throw handcuffed in the back of the car. They are: Stephen Malcolm Gown* é January 28, 1975 in South Africa, Columbia and South Africa: Nils Johan Viktor Gustafson, Swedish born April 18, 1975 in Karlstad: Jacobus Nicolo Ruke, Dutch, born February 11, 1960 at Beverbuk whose wife owes her salvation to the fact of having hidden in a tent. That's when the German tourist, Martin Eugen Arker born May 18, 1953 in Berlin, comes out of a shop and the terrorists motions him to get in the car. He refuses to comply.

Wrangling. The German is tough and fights well. He receives a bullet in the chest and collapses. Heroically, he pulls himself up and holds on to the car, and then tries to grab the terrorist, who shoots him fatally in the head. It's over. The lifeless body lying on the ground but the brain particles stick to a van parked on the premises advertising the horror. Tragedy: the kidnappers leave as they came.

At eighteen hours, twenty army vehicles under the authority of the Commander Ag Kamo Minini begin proceedings before a disgusted population and in two directions: Taoudeni and that of Gundam. They return, empty-handed, the next day to 18 hours. The day before, the hotel is emptied of tourists staying overnight at the police before being "exfiltration" the next day on Mopti and Bamako.
And Sunday, but sounded decent, Karl Flitner, the German Ambassador in Bamako accompanied by a member of the Malian government, by bringing the body of his compatriot. Already, the Quai d'Orsay had pulled out his red felt he bar across Northern and central Mali. We can not blame him. There are now six French, one Swedish, one Dutch and Anglo-South African who is in the hands of terrorists in the Sahel. AQIM? For the hostages Arlit, for sure, since the nebula has claimed. But for the abduction of Hombori and Timbuktu, there is no for now to criminalize men Belmokhtar. The signature is always good likeness but AQIM claimed or denied. But this is not the case.
But if it is confirmed that AQIM, then there is no doubt that the jihadists who generally avoid abduction on Malian soil, declared war on Bamako. Why would AQIM do this when there is a sacred covenant against it in the sub-region? Perhaps precisely because of this. But let's see. The president, visibly upset and called all his indignation to avoid confusion."

DID IT TAKE 4½ HOURS TO GET THE ARMY GOING???


* 'S M Gown' - actually S McGown? Ch

Damnit, thats him. He was on an XT600 and we travelled together for a week entering Mali together. Really nice bloke. No mention of the guy he was traveling with.

Asolutely guttered right now!

Is there anything I can do apart from wait for the FCO to maybe get back to me?

Guttered...

Dutch news mentioned the names of the 4WD overlanders today on TV / Radio.

I think the name mentioned above "Jacobus Nicolo Ruke" is in fact Sjaak Rijke from Woerden - The Netherlands. He's a train driver for the dutch railroad.

A cached version of his weblog. (as long as its there)

And here's the report about the unfortunate German, shot while resisting being kidnapped.

It seems he traveled in a convoy of two overland trucks

Berliner Tourist in Mali ermordet

The translated version with Google Translate

RIP Martin.... :(

hope the best for the other travelers

Spent some time chatting to the Swedish guy just before Diama about a month ago...

Small world, Sam.

Another eyewitness account. And Bamako blaming MNA.
http://www.maliweb.net/category.php?NID=83952

Hotel Alafia ... I know the place: a small establishment, protected by high walls on all sides, situated on the NW edge of town. The first dunes are some 500 metres west. You park a toyo in front of the gate and nobody gets in nor out. Used to be swiss or italian owned (had another name then, forgot which), but was recently (2011, maybe 2010) bought and renovated by british folk. Nice place, nice personnel in our experience. Small yard, big enough for three, maybe four vehicles. Ideal for kidnapping, come to think of it.

Kidnapper car a toyo BJ??? Odd, wouldn't you think? Not exactly a race car.

Aha, maybe the old name for the Alafia hotel was Amanar, anybody has any knowledge on that? The hostages couldn't have been dining in Alafia as it has no restaurant, at least it didn't have one until very recently.

I think the restaurant was Amanar and the hotel Alafia. But could be wrong.