Kidnapped Swiss woman appeals Swiss government to free her

By Fatik al-Rodaini

SANA'A, April 30, 2012- Abducted Swiss woman, Sylvia Abrahat, who was kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants in March in western Yemen, appealed on Monday the Swiss government to free her from the captivity.

In a video posted on the Internet showed Abrahat wearing a black scarf with glasses, saying that she was kidnapped by al-Qaeda militants last month.

''I was kidnapped by al-Qaeda who treated me well, I'm asking the Swiss government to free me as fast as they can from the militants,'' Abrahat said.

In March, a Swiss woman was kidnapped in Yemen's western province of Al-Hodeida by tribesmen demanding the release of prisoners held by Yemeni authorities in the province.

The Swiss national, a language teacher, was kidnapped on March 14 in the western sea-port of Hodeida where officials admitted that a breakdown in security had allowed gangs and criminals to flourish.

Sylvia was transported by her abductors across 3 provinces to the oil-rich and restive Shabwa, where al-Qaeda militants have established yet another stronghold

Moreover, tribal sources said that the kidnapers of abducted Swiss teacher woman, Sylvia Abrahat was handed over to Al-Qaeda militants for $50,000.

Last month Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, put new demands to release Abrahat.

The group, which belongs to Ansar al-Shaea, demanded the immediate release of Osama bin Laden's wives, along with the release of 100 prisoners in Yemeni jails with links to Al-Qaeda, and demanding a ransom of 50 million Euros

A tribal source who has been mediating with Sylvia Abrahat kidnappers said that their demands were impossible.

The militants demanded the release of numerous widows in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia jails.