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British nationals among workers kidnapped in Algeria Briton reported killed in kidnap raid in Algeria
(about 2 hours later)
David Cameron was chairing a meeting of the government's crisis committee Cobra on Wednesday afternoon after at least nine workers, including British nationals, were kidnapped by a group claiming to be al-Qaida at a Swedish oil plant in Algeria. A Briton and a French national have been killed in an attack by militants on a gas complex in the Algerian desert, according to the country's state news agency. Seven others are reported to have been wounded and an undetermined number of foreigners – possibly as many as 41 – are being held hostage.
It is understood a 36-year-old married man from Northern Ireland was among British, Irish, Japanese, Norwegian and French nationals who were taken captive. Two people, including a French national, were killed during a dawn raid, local and company officials said. A group called the Katibat Moulathamine, or the Masked Brigade, called a Mauritanian news outlet to say one of its subsidiaries had carried out the operation on the Ain Amenas gas field, taking 41 hostages from nine or 10 different nationalities.
The group's claim could not be independently substantiated.
David Cameron was chairing a meeting of the government's crisis committee Cobra on Wednesday afternoon. The Ain Amenas natural gas complex is operated as a joint venture by British Petroleum, Norway's Statoil and the Algerian state company, Sonatrach.
It is understood that a 36-year-old married man from Northern Ireland was among British, Irish, Japanese, Norwegian and French nationals taken captive during a dawn raid by a group claiming al-Qaida links. A diplomatic source said an American had also been kidnapped.
BP said armed people are still occupying facilities at the gas field in Algeria.
"The site was attacked and occupied by a group of unidentified armed people at about 0500 UK time. Contact with the site is extremely difficult, but we understand that armed individuals are still occupying the In Amenas operations site," it said.
The Algerian interior ministry said heavily armed gunman in three vehicles had attacked the complex early on Wednesday morning. Local officials reported earlier that at least nine foreigners had been kidnapped and two people had been killed, inluding a French national.
Five Japanese nationals working for the Japanese engineering firm JCG Corp were kidnapped as well as a French national, they said.
A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that British nationals were caught up in a "terrorist incident" near the town of Ain Amenas at an oil installation near the Algerian border with Libya. "The British embassy in Algiers is liaising with the local authorities."A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that British nationals were caught up in a "terrorist incident" near the town of Ain Amenas at an oil installation near the Algerian border with Libya. "The British embassy in Algiers is liaising with the local authorities."
The raid, claimed by an al-Qaida affiliate, came after Islamists vowed to retaliate for France's military intervention in Mali, where its forces have been in action against al-Qaida-linked militants since last week. The raid came after Islamists vowed to retaliate for France's military intervention in neighbouring Mali, where forces have been in action since last week against militants linked to al-Qaida.
The incident raised fears that the French action could prompt further Islamist revenge attacks on western targets in Africa, where al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb operates across borders in the Sahara desert, and in Europe. The attack has raised fears that the French action may prompt further Islamist revenge attacks on western targets in Africa, where al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb operates across borders in the Sahara desert, and in Europe.
The al-Qaida group said it had carried out Wednesday's raid on the Ain Amenas facility in Algeria, Mauritania's ANI news agency reported.
The gas field, located close to the border with Libya, is operated by a joint venture including BP, the Norwegian oil firm Statoil and the Algerian state company Sonatrach.
Ireland's deputy prime minister, Eamon Gilmore, has called for the Irish captive's immediate release.
"The government stands ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible," he said. "I would ask that the family be allowed privacy at this difficult time."
The Republic's department of foreign affairs said it was providing consular assistance to the family and was in close contact with its international partners and a wide range of other contacts in order to establish the facts.
BP said a gas field it runs in partnership with Norwegians and Algerians was attacked.
A French national was killed in the attack, a local source said, but it was unclear if the victim was one of those kidnapped.
Algeria's official APS news agency said that one security guard had been killed and seven people were injured, including two foreigners.Algeria's official APS news agency said that one security guard had been killed and seven people were injured, including two foreigners.
Five Japanese nationals working for the Japanese engineering firm JCG Corp were kidnapped as well as a French national, local officials said. A diplomatic source said an American had been kidnapped.
Also kidnapped was a Norwegian gas worker, the newspaper Bergens Tidende said, quoting the man's wife.Also kidnapped was a Norwegian gas worker, the newspaper Bergens Tidende said, quoting the man's wife.
"I received a phone call from my husband this morning and he said he was kidnapped," the woman said. The Norwegian foreign ministry could not confirm the report."I received a phone call from my husband this morning and he said he was kidnapped," the woman said. The Norwegian foreign ministry could not confirm the report.
Ireland's deputy prime minister, Eamon Gilmore, has called for the Irish captive's immediate release.
"The government stands ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible," he said. "I would ask that the family be allowed privacy at this difficult time."
The Republic's department of foreign affairs said it was providing consular assistance to the family and was in close contact with its international partners and a wide range of other contacts in order to establish the facts.
The claim that 41 hostages were being held was made in a call to the Nouakchott Information Agency, which often carries announcements from extremist groups.
The caller did not give any further details, except to say that the kidnapping was carried out by "Those Who Signed in Blood," a group created to attack the countries participating in the ongoing offensive against Islamist groups in Mali.
Typically there would be fewer than 20 foreign members of staff on the Ain Amenas site on a typical day, along with hundreds of Algerian employees.