However the French firm CGG, which works within the oil and fuel sector and has an workplace in Cairo, informed Reuters information company that considered one of its subcontractors was kidnapped in Cairo on July 22 and that he’s the captive featured within the video.
Advertisement
The hostage was identified as Tomislav Salopek, 30, from Croatia.
Upon the appearance of the video, the Croatian government said it was doing everything to resolve “the hard situation” of the abducted Croatian citizen.
A video purportedly released by the Islamic State group threatens to kill a Croatian hostage if Egyptian authorities do not release “Muslim women” held in prison within 48 hours.
Within the video, titled “A Message to the Egyptian Authorities”, a person in a tan jumpsuit kneels within the sand in entrance of a masked militant wearing fight fatigues and holding a knife. The Sinai Peninsula, flanking the canal, is the centre of Islamist insurgency that began after the army toppled Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 amid mass protests against his rule.
The video was released by the group on Wednesday.
Croatia’s foreign ministry confirmed on 24 July that a Croatian citizen was abducted while travelling to work in Cairo, without providing further details.
Pusic, who is expected to meet with her Egyptian counterpart, also traveled with Salopek’s wife, Natasa.
French President Francois Hollande flies to Cairo on Thursday for the inauguration of the New Suez Canal, a centrepiece of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s plans to revitalise Egypt’s economy. The black flag of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/SIL) is clearly seen in the video.
The Croatian, who worked as a topographer for a French Geoscience company Compagnie Generale de Geophysique, (GCC), was kidnapped by Sinai Province ISIS fighters on July 22 while heading to work in his company auto. This matter has to be achieved before 48 hours from now.
Advertisement
“They need to substitute me for the Muslim womans arrested in Egyptian prisons”, the person says in awkward English. “If not, the troopers of Wilayat Sinai will kill me”, he provides, utilizing the group’s Arabic identify. The military spokesman and the presidency could not be reached for comment.
