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| Nigerian Islamists 'kill foreign hostages' | Nigerian Islamists 'kill foreign hostages' |
| (4 months later) | |
| A Nigerian Islamist group claimed it has killed seven kidnapped foreign construction workers, including one Briton. | A Nigerian Islamist group claimed it has killed seven kidnapped foreign construction workers, including one Briton. |
| Ansaru kidnapped seven employees of the Lebanese construction company Setraco a week ago. Three of the workers were Lebanese, while the other four were from Britain, Greece, Italy and the Philippines. | Ansaru kidnapped seven employees of the Lebanese construction company Setraco a week ago. Three of the workers were Lebanese, while the other four were from Britain, Greece, Italy and the Philippines. |
| A message was posted on an Islamist website on Saturday that claimed Ansaru members killed the hostages after journalists saw British warplanes in Bauchi, northern Nigeria. | A message was posted on an Islamist website on Saturday that claimed Ansaru members killed the hostages after journalists saw British warplanes in Bauchi, northern Nigeria. |
| "As a result of this operation, the seven hostages were killed," the group said in the statement. It said a video of the killings would be posted online. An online image accompanying the posting appeared to show a gunman standing over dead bodies. | "As a result of this operation, the seven hostages were killed," the group said in the statement. It said a video of the killings would be posted online. An online image accompanying the posting appeared to show a gunman standing over dead bodies. |
| The Foreign Office said it was urgently investigating the claims. | The Foreign Office said it was urgently investigating the claims. |
| Ansaru previously issued a short statement in which it said its fighters kidnapped the foreigners on 16 February from a construction company's camp at Jama'are, a town about 125 miles north of Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi state. | Ansaru previously issued a short statement in which it said its fighters kidnapped the foreigners on 16 February from a construction company's camp at Jama'are, a town about 125 miles north of Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi state. |
| During the operation gunmen attacked a local prison and burned police trucks, authorities said. They then blew up a back fence at the construction firm's compound and took over, killing a guard in the process, witnesses and police said. | During the operation gunmen attacked a local prison and burned police trucks, authorities said. They then blew up a back fence at the construction firm's compound and took over, killing a guard in the process, witnesses and police said. |
| The gunmen appeared to be organised and knew who they wanted to target, abducting the foreigners quickly while leaving the Nigerian household staff members unharmed, a witness said. | The gunmen appeared to be organised and knew who they wanted to target, abducting the foreigners quickly while leaving the Nigerian household staff members unharmed, a witness said. |
| In January 2013, Ansaru declared itself a splinter group independent from Boko Haram, the north's main terrorist group, analysts have said. Boko Haram, which means "western education is sacrilege", has launched a guerrilla campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north. It has been blamed for at least 792 killings last year alone, according to an Associated Press count. | In January 2013, Ansaru declared itself a splinter group independent from Boko Haram, the north's main terrorist group, analysts have said. Boko Haram, which means "western education is sacrilege", has launched a guerrilla campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north. It has been blamed for at least 792 killings last year alone, according to an Associated Press count. |
| Britain previously linked Ansaru to the May 2011 kidnapping of Christopher McManus, who was abducted with Italian Franco Lamolinara from a home in Kebbi state. The men were held for months before their captors killed them in March 2012 during a failed Nigerian military raid backed up by British special forces in Sokoto, the main city in north-west Nigeria. | Britain previously linked Ansaru to the May 2011 kidnapping of Christopher McManus, who was abducted with Italian Franco Lamolinara from a home in Kebbi state. The men were held for months before their captors killed them in March 2012 during a failed Nigerian military raid backed up by British special forces in Sokoto, the main city in north-west Nigeria. |
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