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| UK aid worker's joy at release from captors in Somalia | UK aid worker's joy at release from captors in Somalia |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A British security consultant kidnapped six days ago by gunmen in Somalia has described his release as "marvellous", charity Save the Children says. | |
| Zimbabwean-born Frans Barnard was seized in the town of Adado last Thursday. A local colleague, who was also seized, was freed the next day. | Zimbabwean-born Frans Barnard was seized in the town of Adado last Thursday. A local colleague, who was also seized, was freed the next day. |
| The charity said Mr Barnard was safe and well, and in the hands of clan elders, who organised his release. | The charity said Mr Barnard was safe and well, and in the hands of clan elders, who organised his release. |
| Save the Children said there was no payment of a ransom. | Save the Children said there was no payment of a ransom. |
| 'Relatively safe area' | 'Relatively safe area' |
| Frans Barnard had gone to the area to see if it was safe enough for Save the Children to set up a new base to help malnourished and sick children, along with their families. | Frans Barnard had gone to the area to see if it was safe enough for Save the Children to set up a new base to help malnourished and sick children, along with their families. |
| But on Thursday evening, a group of masked gunmen stormed the building, used as a staff residence. | But on Thursday evening, a group of masked gunmen stormed the building, used as a staff residence. |
| High walls and a heavy steel gate reportedly forced the kidnappers to climb in through a window before they fled with their hostages into an area said to be controlled by the hardline Islamist group al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda. | High walls and a heavy steel gate reportedly forced the kidnappers to climb in through a window before they fled with their hostages into an area said to be controlled by the hardline Islamist group al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda. |
| Save the Children categorically denied paying any ransom in the case of Frans Barnard. But in other cases in Somalia it's known that ransoms have been paid - for ships and crew seized at sea by pirates, and for individuals taken on land. | Save the Children categorically denied paying any ransom in the case of Frans Barnard. But in other cases in Somalia it's known that ransoms have been paid - for ships and crew seized at sea by pirates, and for individuals taken on land. |
| A lucrative industry made up of private military companies and risk consultants has grown up to hold negotiations with kidnappers and deliver bundles of cash if the talks succeed. | A lucrative industry made up of private military companies and risk consultants has grown up to hold negotiations with kidnappers and deliver bundles of cash if the talks succeed. |
| A source in the shipping industry said the average cost of releasing a ship and crew was currently around $3m. Transport companies often charter ships and crews on a daily rate, and the pirates know the penalty for not paying a ransom can mount up quickly. In the case of individuals, the price of freedom can be much lower. | A source in the shipping industry said the average cost of releasing a ship and crew was currently around $3m. Transport companies often charter ships and crews on a daily rate, and the pirates know the penalty for not paying a ransom can mount up quickly. In the case of individuals, the price of freedom can be much lower. |
| Almost all hostage cases in Somalia are motivated by money. The source in the shipping industry said there were no significant links between pirates working for cash and radical Islamist groups fighting the Somali government. | Almost all hostage cases in Somalia are motivated by money. The source in the shipping industry said there were no significant links between pirates working for cash and radical Islamist groups fighting the Somali government. |
| In a statement released by the charity, Save the Children's chief executive Justin Forsyth said: "We believe Frans was abducted by an independent group of criminals with no political affiliation or support from other groups in the region." | In a statement released by the charity, Save the Children's chief executive Justin Forsyth said: "We believe Frans was abducted by an independent group of criminals with no political affiliation or support from other groups in the region." |
| He added: "Save the Children's policy is not to pay ransoms and we did not pay a ransom to secure Frans' release." | He added: "Save the Children's policy is not to pay ransoms and we did not pay a ransom to secure Frans' release." |
| He said the release had been negotiated by clan elders in Somalia and the charity was grateful to those involved in securing his release. | He said the release had been negotiated by clan elders in Somalia and the charity was grateful to those involved in securing his release. |
| He earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the kidnappers had looked after Mr Barnard and the local community had offered to help as they had "felt it was wrong that he had been kidnapped." | He earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the kidnappers had looked after Mr Barnard and the local community had offered to help as they had "felt it was wrong that he had been kidnapped." |
| Anna Ford, a Save the Children spokeswoman, said the charity had spoken to Mr Barnard twice since his release. | Anna Ford, a Save the Children spokeswoman, said the charity had spoken to Mr Barnard twice since his release. |
| "We spoke to him and he said 'it is bloody marvellous' - he confirmed that he was safe and well and was confident in the people who were looking after him," she said. | "We spoke to him and he said 'it is bloody marvellous' - he confirmed that he was safe and well and was confident in the people who were looking after him," she said. |
| "We can confirm that he has been released by his kidnappers and he is now in the hands of clan elders in Somalia. | "We can confirm that he has been released by his kidnappers and he is now in the hands of clan elders in Somalia. |
| "It was those clan elders who organised his release and he is currently on his way to a place of safety," she added. | "It was those clan elders who organised his release and he is currently on his way to a place of safety," she added. |
| "They invited us into their community to do the work that we are doing and they saw Frans as their guest and they did everything possible to get him to safety. | "They invited us into their community to do the work that we are doing and they saw Frans as their guest and they did everything possible to get him to safety. |
| "It was a point of honour for them to do that. He is now being protected by the local administration and clan elders." | "It was a point of honour for them to do that. He is now being protected by the local administration and clan elders." |
| 'Professionalism' | 'Professionalism' |
| David Cameron told the House of Commons during prime minister's question time that the he was delighted Mr Barnard had been released. | David Cameron told the House of Commons during prime minister's question time that the he was delighted Mr Barnard had been released. |
| He said: "We have been in close contact with Save the Children over the kidnap of Frans Barnard who was doing vitally important work on their behalf in Somalia. | He said: "We have been in close contact with Save the Children over the kidnap of Frans Barnard who was doing vitally important work on their behalf in Somalia. |
| "Let me praise the professionalism of Save the Children and also thank the Somali clan members who were involved in his release. I'm sure that it will be good for him to be back with his family after what must have been a very difficult and frightening few days." | "Let me praise the professionalism of Save the Children and also thank the Somali clan members who were involved in his release. I'm sure that it will be good for him to be back with his family after what must have been a very difficult and frightening few days." |
| The BBC's East Africa correspondent Will Ross said Mr Barnard was freed before dawn on Wednesday after intervention from local officials. | The BBC's East Africa correspondent Will Ross said Mr Barnard was freed before dawn on Wednesday after intervention from local officials. |
| He said the head of the local administration had negotiated the release after driving with armed guards for several hours outside the town to reach the armed hostage takers. | He said the head of the local administration had negotiated the release after driving with armed guards for several hours outside the town to reach the armed hostage takers. |
| Mr Forsyth said the charity would remain committed to its work in Somalia helping vulnerable children. | Mr Forsyth said the charity would remain committed to its work in Somalia helping vulnerable children. |
| Adado, which is near the Ethiopian border, is also closely linked to pirate groups who routinely take ships and crew hostage. | Adado, which is near the Ethiopian border, is also closely linked to pirate groups who routinely take ships and crew hostage. |
| Until now, Adado had been seen as a relatively stable part of Somalia, with aid groups considering relocating there after being forced out of more volatile regions. | Until now, Adado had been seen as a relatively stable part of Somalia, with aid groups considering relocating there after being forced out of more volatile regions. |
| Several foreigners have been kidnapped in Somalia in recent years. Most have been freed unhurt. | Several foreigners have been kidnapped in Somalia in recent years. Most have been freed unhurt. |