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| Judith Tebbutt: UK hostage kidnapped in Kenya freed | Judith Tebbutt: UK hostage kidnapped in Kenya freed |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A Briton seized in a raid in Kenya, in which her husband was killed, has been freed after six months held in Somalia. | A Briton seized in a raid in Kenya, in which her husband was killed, has been freed after six months held in Somalia. |
| Judith Tebbutt, 56, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, was flown to Nairobi after her family paid the pirates a ransom for her release. | Judith Tebbutt, 56, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, was flown to Nairobi after her family paid the pirates a ransom for her release. |
| She said she was "very relieved" to be free and looking forward to seeing her "fantastic" son Oliver. | |
| Her husband David, 58, was shot by a gang of six men at their remote holiday resort in Kiwayu, north of Lamu island. | Her husband David, 58, was shot by a gang of six men at their remote holiday resort in Kiwayu, north of Lamu island. |
| 'A good man' | |
| Mrs Tebbutt, a social worker, who is believed to be deaf and was wearing a double hearing aid, said: "I'm very relieved to have been released. Seven months is a long time. Under the circumstances, with my husband passing away, it made it harder. | Mrs Tebbutt, a social worker, who is believed to be deaf and was wearing a double hearing aid, said: "I'm very relieved to have been released. Seven months is a long time. Under the circumstances, with my husband passing away, it made it harder. |
| There will be enormous relief at the release of Judith Tebbutt after her terrible ordeal. | There will be enormous relief at the release of Judith Tebbutt after her terrible ordeal. |
| Her family were able to raise a ransom to pay for her freedom. But this should not obscure the fact that some 230 people are still being held in Somalia - most by pirates. | Her family were able to raise a ransom to pay for her freedom. But this should not obscure the fact that some 230 people are still being held in Somalia - most by pirates. |
| The majority will have been captured from merchant vessels and many are from third world countries and receive almost no publicity. | The majority will have been captured from merchant vessels and many are from third world countries and receive almost no publicity. |
| Others, like the South African couple, Bruno Pelizzari and Debbie Calitz, were captured by pirates in October 2010 and could not afford the $4m being asked for their release. | Others, like the South African couple, Bruno Pelizzari and Debbie Calitz, were captured by pirates in October 2010 and could not afford the $4m being asked for their release. |
| Some hostages have been freed by US special forces - but these operations can go badly wrong. | Some hostages have been freed by US special forces - but these operations can go badly wrong. |
| Attempts to rescue a British and Italian hostage in Nigeria earlier this month ended with both being killed. | Attempts to rescue a British and Italian hostage in Nigeria earlier this month ended with both being killed. |
| "I'm just happy to be released and I'm looking forward to seeing my son who successfully secured my release. I don't know how he did it, but he did, which is great." | "I'm just happy to be released and I'm looking forward to seeing my son who successfully secured my release. I don't know how he did it, but he did, which is great." |
| She said she was still coming to terms with her husband's death, which she only found out about two weeks after she was kidnapped. | |
| "I feel extremely sad. Very, very sad indeed. He was a good man. That was very unfortunate. Really horrible. But you've just got to pick up the pieces.... and move on," she said. | |
| "I didn't know he'd died 'til about two weeks from my capture. I just assumed he was alive but then my son told me... that was difficult." | |
| She landed in Nairobi on Wednesday where she will be looked after by officials from the British embassy before being flown back to the UK to be reunited with friends and relatives. | She landed in Nairobi on Wednesday where she will be looked after by officials from the British embassy before being flown back to the UK to be reunited with friends and relatives. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman confirmed the release and said the government would provide consular care in Nairobi. | Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman confirmed the release and said the government would provide consular care in Nairobi. |
| He said it did not pay ransoms and did not "facilitate concessions to hostage takers", but had met the family regularly to discuss the case. | He said it did not pay ransoms and did not "facilitate concessions to hostage takers", but had met the family regularly to discuss the case. |
| It is understood Mrs Tebbutt's son Oliver is in the Kenyan city to greet her. | It is understood Mrs Tebbutt's son Oliver is in the Kenyan city to greet her. |
| Richard Harrington, the Conservative MP for Watford, where Mr Tebbutt lives, told the BBC: "I've waited for this day for so long I can't tell you. | Richard Harrington, the Conservative MP for Watford, where Mr Tebbutt lives, told the BBC: "I've waited for this day for so long I can't tell you. |
| "I mean my feelings are obviously nothing compared to those of the family, but I'm just so delighted that this has happened and that Oliver will be reunited with his mother." | "I mean my feelings are obviously nothing compared to those of the family, but I'm just so delighted that this has happened and that Oliver will be reunited with his mother." |
| Mrs Tebbutt was seized on 11 September last year from Kiwayu Safari Village, a luxury resort on a deserted stretch of Kenyan coastline, comprised of thatched cottages on the beach. | Mrs Tebbutt was seized on 11 September last year from Kiwayu Safari Village, a luxury resort on a deserted stretch of Kenyan coastline, comprised of thatched cottages on the beach. |
| The couple had arrived only the previous day and were the only guests. | The couple had arrived only the previous day and were the only guests. |
| She was taken away in a speedboat by Somali pirates, after her husband had been killed. | She was taken away in a speedboat by Somali pirates, after her husband had been killed. |
| BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said a private security company had secured her release, not British officials. | BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said a private security company had secured her release, not British officials. |
| He said it was unclear how much money was involved, and revealing the amount was generally discouraged to avoid copy-cat gangs. | He said it was unclear how much money was involved, and revealing the amount was generally discouraged to avoid copy-cat gangs. |
| Paying the ransom was not illegal because it was not known to be going to a terrorist organisation, he added. | Paying the ransom was not illegal because it was not known to be going to a terrorist organisation, he added. |
| "She will now become the key witness in the ongoing murder investigation of her husband David," our correspondent said. | "She will now become the key witness in the ongoing murder investigation of her husband David," our correspondent said. |
| East Africa correspondent Will Ross, in Nairobi, said the ransom had been paid in the last three days. | East Africa correspondent Will Ross, in Nairobi, said the ransom had been paid in the last three days. |
| 'Al-Qaeda links' | |
| "The British government does not pay ransoms, it's against the idea, but it certainly doesn't seem to have stood in the way of the family to secure Judith Tebbutt's release," he said. | "The British government does not pay ransoms, it's against the idea, but it certainly doesn't seem to have stood in the way of the family to secure Judith Tebbutt's release," he said. |
| Police in Kenya said six gunmen had burst into the Tebbutts' room last September and officers speculated that Mr Tebbutt may have tried to resist the gang. | Police in Kenya said six gunmen had burst into the Tebbutts' room last September and officers speculated that Mr Tebbutt may have tried to resist the gang. |
| He worked for publisher Faber & Faber and sat on the board of the Book Trade Charity, which supports those in the book trade. | He worked for publisher Faber & Faber and sat on the board of the Book Trade Charity, which supports those in the book trade. |
| Book Trade's chief executive, David Hicks, said of Mrs Tebbutt's release: "This sounds wonderful, though I'll only really be happy when it's definite that she's safe." | Book Trade's chief executive, David Hicks, said of Mrs Tebbutt's release: "This sounds wonderful, though I'll only really be happy when it's definite that she's safe." |
| The Kenyan government said at the time of the kidnap that it believed the al-Shabab Islamist group, which has since merged with al-Qaeda, was behind the murder and kidnap. The group denied the allegation. | The Kenyan government said at the time of the kidnap that it believed the al-Shabab Islamist group, which has since merged with al-Qaeda, was behind the murder and kidnap. The group denied the allegation. |
| Last October Kenya sent troops into its neighbour in pursuit of the militants and in support of the weak interim Somali government, which controls only the capital, Mogadishu, and a few other areas. | Last October Kenya sent troops into its neighbour in pursuit of the militants and in support of the weak interim Somali government, which controls only the capital, Mogadishu, and a few other areas. |
| Rachel Chandler, who was held with her husband Paul for 13 months by pirates in Somalia, said: "My feeling is one of relief and happiness for Judith Tebbutt and her family, that finally she is free." | Rachel Chandler, who was held with her husband Paul for 13 months by pirates in Somalia, said: "My feeling is one of relief and happiness for Judith Tebbutt and her family, that finally she is free." |
| Mr Chandler added: "I hope she will have an opportunity to pick up the pieces of her life, and deal with the loss she has had." | Mr Chandler added: "I hope she will have an opportunity to pick up the pieces of her life, and deal with the loss she has had." |
| EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton said she was delighted Mrs Tebbutt was finally free and would work hard to fight the "scourge" of piracy and kidnapping in the horn of Africa. | |
| Last year, two men appeared in court in connection with the attack, with both denying the charges. | Last year, two men appeared in court in connection with the attack, with both denying the charges. |
| One of them, Ali Babitu Kololo, told the court he had been forced at gunpoint to lead a group of men to the hotel and had not been a willing accomplice. | One of them, Ali Babitu Kololo, told the court he had been forced at gunpoint to lead a group of men to the hotel and had not been a willing accomplice. |