Gunmen kidnap 2 Germans, 5 Afghans in central Afghanistan
(19 Jul 2007) 1. Various exteriors of Afghan Interior Ministry 2. Set-up shot of Interior Ministry spokesperson Zemari Bashary 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Zemari Bashary, Interior Ministry spokesperson: "About the kidnappings of two German workers along with their five Afghan colleagues yesterday in the afternoon at 2 o'clock (09:30 GMT). These people were kidnapped by unidentified people and after their kidnapping the police of Wardak province and along with their other colleagues started a serious investigation and searching. We are hopeful that our searching will give a positive result." 4. Cutaway of hands 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Zemari Bashary, Interior Ministry spokesperson: "Not yet, no one has confirmed or stated that they are involved in this case or they are behind this case. But as soon as our investigation is finished then we will have something to tell you who was behind this incident. But right now there is no information about who have done this." 6. Tracking shot of German Embassy STORYLINE: Armed men kidnapped two Germans and five Afghan nationals working on a dam project in central Afghanistan, the Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said on Thursday. Germany's Foreign Ministry confirmed the kidnapping but said only two Afghans were taken. The Germans, and at least their Afghan driver and their translator were seized in Wardak province's on Wednesday afternoon (local time) after visiting a dam, it said. Police were searching the area, but had yet to establish contact with the kidnappers, Interior Ministry spokesperson Zemari Bashary told AP Television. "These people were kidnapped by unidentified people and after their kidnapping the police of Wardak province and along with their other colleagues started a serious investigation and searching. We are hopeful that our searching will give a positive result," Bashary said. A German Foreign Ministry spokesman told reporters a crisis team had been set up in Berlin and the embassy in Kabul was also involved in efforts to solve the case. He said the Germans were employees of a company based in Kabul, but declined to give any further details. Another German man was kidnapped in western Afghanistan on June 28, but was released after a week, after the kidnappers, using tribal elders as intermediaries, demanded 40-thousand US dollars for freeing them. It was not clear whether money changed hands. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
