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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Sacrifice fear of freed hostages | Sacrifice fear of freed hostages |
| (4 days later) | |
| Scottish oil workers held hostage for nearly three weeks in Nigeria have said they feared being "sacrificed". | Scottish oil workers held hostage for nearly three weeks in Nigeria have said they feared being "sacrificed". |
| Graeme Buchan, Paul Smith, George McLean and Sandy Cruden had been seized by armed militants. | Graeme Buchan, Paul Smith, George McLean and Sandy Cruden had been seized by armed militants. |
| Mr Buchan said he was even forced at gunpoint to tell his employers Mr Smith was dead. | Mr Buchan said he was even forced at gunpoint to tell his employers Mr Smith was dead. |
| Mr Buchan, speaking at Aberdeen Airport, said: "The gun at my head may have uncovered a talent for acting I did not know I had." | Mr Buchan, speaking at Aberdeen Airport, said: "The gun at my head may have uncovered a talent for acting I did not know I had." |
| Mr Buchan, alongside Mr Cruden and Mr Smith, who work for Sparrows Offshore in Aberdeen, touched down in Aberdeen Airport on Monday morning. | Mr Buchan, alongside Mr Cruden and Mr Smith, who work for Sparrows Offshore in Aberdeen, touched down in Aberdeen Airport on Monday morning. |
| We kept each other's spirits up. We did start to get more concerned Graeme BuchanFreed hostage | We kept each other's spirits up. We did start to get more concerned Graeme BuchanFreed hostage |
| Mr Smith's wife Paula had feared the worst after earlier reports claimed he was dead. | Mr Smith's wife Paula had feared the worst after earlier reports claimed he was dead. |
| Mr Buchan revealed: "I gather there has been a lot of speculation about how poor Paula Smith came to be told that Paul had died. | Mr Buchan revealed: "I gather there has been a lot of speculation about how poor Paula Smith came to be told that Paul had died. |
| "I am afraid that may have been my fault. | "I am afraid that may have been my fault. |
| "I was beaten again and ordered at gunpoint to call my Sparrows' chief executive and tell him Paul had died." | "I was beaten again and ordered at gunpoint to call my Sparrows' chief executive and tell him Paul had died." |
| Festival sacrifice | Festival sacrifice |
| He said of the kidnap that the men, who were firing AK47 rifles and pistols in the air, took them from a bar and ferried them in speedboats to a camp some eight hours away. | He said of the kidnap that the men, who were firing AK47 rifles and pistols in the air, took them from a bar and ferried them in speedboats to a camp some eight hours away. |
| He said they received rice and water but did not have any malaria tablets. | He said they received rice and water but did not have any malaria tablets. |
| Mr Buchan said: "We were held together and we kept each other's spirits up. We did start to get more concerned." | Mr Buchan said: "We were held together and we kept each other's spirits up. We did start to get more concerned." |
| He said the lowest point was when their captors told them they were to be taken to a festival to be sacrificed. | He said the lowest point was when their captors told them they were to be taken to a festival to be sacrificed. |
| It has been an anxious wait for Paula Smith and her childrenMr Buchan added: "We now know there were a lot of senior and professional people working to get us out. We are very grateful to them. | |
| "I do not know whether their demands were political or financial." | "I do not know whether their demands were political or financial." |
| Mrs Smith had described how she was hysterical after she received an "unbelievable" phone call from her husband Paul who she had feared was dead. | Mrs Smith had described how she was hysterical after she received an "unbelievable" phone call from her husband Paul who she had feared was dead. |
| The union Amicus has issued advice to oil workers in the UK who may be planning to go to the region. | The union Amicus has issued advice to oil workers in the UK who may be planning to go to the region. |
| Regional officer Graham Tran said: "Think twice before you put yourself or your family through this ordeal. | Regional officer Graham Tran said: "Think twice before you put yourself or your family through this ordeal. |
| "Other militant groups, not just in Nigeria, will be looking at what's happened here. | "Other militant groups, not just in Nigeria, will be looking at what's happened here. |
| "It's time to sit back, focus, get the security aspects sorted out." | "It's time to sit back, focus, get the security aspects sorted out." |
| The men were taken hostage earlier this month when gunmen raided a residential compound housing expatriate oil workers in the Niger Delta. | The men were taken hostage earlier this month when gunmen raided a residential compound housing expatriate oil workers in the Niger Delta. |
| They were kidnapped along with another three oil workers from Romania, Malaysia and Indonesia. | They were kidnapped along with another three oil workers from Romania, Malaysia and Indonesia. |
| Two Nigerian security guards were killed in the raid. | Two Nigerian security guards were killed in the raid. |