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Tomislav Salopek: Croatia fears for Egypt hostage Tomislav Salopek: Croatia fears for Egypt hostage
(about 1 hour later)
Croatia says it fears the worst for one of its nationals abducted in Egypt but cannot confirm he has been beheaded by militants affiliated to Islamic State.Croatia says it fears the worst for one of its nationals abducted in Egypt but cannot confirm he has been beheaded by militants affiliated to Islamic State.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic addressed the nation following claims by an Egyptian jihadist group to have killed Tomislav Salopek.Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic addressed the nation following claims by an Egyptian jihadist group to have killed Tomislav Salopek.
A photo purporting to show his body was posted on Twitter by a user associated with the group Sinai Province. A photo purporting to show his body was posted on Twitter by a user associated with the group called Sinai Province.
It earlier threatened to kill him unless Egypt freed jailed Muslim women.It earlier threatened to kill him unless Egypt freed jailed Muslim women.
The photo circulated online on Wednesday shows a decapitated body in what appears to be desert, beside a knife driven into the sand and the black banner used by IS.The photo circulated online on Wednesday shows a decapitated body in what appears to be desert, beside a knife driven into the sand and the black banner used by IS.
The caption says the Croatian, aged about 30, was killed "for his country's participation in the war against Islamic State".The caption says the Croatian, aged about 30, was killed "for his country's participation in the war against Islamic State".
Mr Salopek, a father of two, had been working as a surveyor in Egypt for the French geoscience company CGG, which is involved in the oil and gas industry.Mr Salopek, a father of two, had been working as a surveyor in Egypt for the French geoscience company CGG, which is involved in the oil and gas industry.
He was abducted while travelling in a car on the Oasis Road, about 22km (14 miles) west of Cairo, on 22 July, security sources told the AFP news agency. He was seized while travelling in a car on the Oasis Road, about 22km (14 miles) west of Cairo, on 22 July, security sources told the AFP news agency.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says this is the first time that a foreigner has been abducted on the Egyptian mainland, and not far from the outskirts of Cairo.
Frantic searchFrantic search
The Croatian government could not confirm Mr Salopek's death "with 100% certainty", Prime Minister Milanovic said in an address to the nation. The Croatian government could not confirm Mr Salopek's death "with 100% certainty", Prime Minister Milanovic said.
Mr Milanovic also urged people not to share the gruesome image posted online. "I am not sure if we will be in any position to confirm the news in the next few days, but what we can see doesn't look good, it looks very bleak... I am afraid that the worst has happened."
He added that Croatia would not take part in combat operations against IS. Mr Milanovic urged people not to share the gruesome image posted online.
The Egyptian authorities mounted a frantic search for Mr Salopek but were unable to establish whether he was in the Sinai peninsula, Egypt's Western Desert or even across the border in Libya. He also stressed that Croatia would not take part in combat operations against IS.
Croatia has previously said that while it was part of the international coalition against IS in the political sense - as a member of the EU and Nato - it had no plans to send troops to fight IS.
Security correspondent Frank Gardner
There is no official confirmation that Tomislav Salopek has been murdered, but his abduction marks a new and dangerous development in Egypt's evolving security situation.
While the northern half of the Sinai Peninsula has been home to violent jihadists for some years now, this is the first time that a foreigner has been abducted on the Egyptian mainland, and not far from the outskirts of Cairo.
The men who stopped Tomislav Salopek's car at gunpoint on July 22 were said to have had Bedouin accents. It is possible that he was then sold on to IS.
The Egyptian authorities mounted a frantic search for his whereabouts but there are vast, unpopulated areas of Egypt's desert where he could have been taken and hidden. It is even possible that he was taken over the border into Libya where there is no effective national government.
Whatever the precise details, this could have grave implications for Egypt's future ability to attract foreign investors.
A week ago, Sinai Province posted a video showing a man who identified himself as Mr Salopek wearing an orange-coloured jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert next to a masked militant holding a knife.A week ago, Sinai Province posted a video showing a man who identified himself as Mr Salopek wearing an orange-coloured jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert next to a masked militant holding a knife.
Speaking in English, the man said that Sinai Province wanted to "substitute" him with Muslim women in Egyptian prisons, and that the Egyptian government had 48 hours to comply before he was killed.Speaking in English, the man said that Sinai Province wanted to "substitute" him with Muslim women in Egyptian prisons, and that the Egyptian government had 48 hours to comply before he was killed.
As many as 40,000 Muslim Brotherhood supporters and other Islamists are believed to have been detained and more than 1,000 others killed in a crackdown by the Egyptian authorities since the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.As many as 40,000 Muslim Brotherhood supporters and other Islamists are believed to have been detained and more than 1,000 others killed in a crackdown by the Egyptian authorities since the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.
If Mr Salopek's death is confirmed, it would be the first time that jihadist militants in Egypt have beheaded a Western hostage since stepping up their campaign against the state two years ago.If Mr Salopek's death is confirmed, it would be the first time that jihadist militants in Egypt have beheaded a Western hostage since stepping up their campaign against the state two years ago.
Sinai Province has claimed it was behind the killing of the American petroleum engineer William Henderson, whose body was found in a car in the Western Desert in August 2014.Sinai Province has claimed it was behind the killing of the American petroleum engineer William Henderson, whose body was found in a car in the Western Desert in August 2014.
The jihadist group was known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis until it pledged allegiance to IS in November and changed its name.The jihadist group was known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis until it pledged allegiance to IS in November and changed its name.
Militants belonging or linked to IS have carried out or claimed a series of killings of Western and other hostages over the last year or so. They include US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning.Militants belonging or linked to IS have carried out or claimed a series of killings of Western and other hostages over the last year or so. They include US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning.