Police have charged a Somali man in Canada for his alleged role in the kidnapping of two journalists in Somalia. 37 year old Ali Omar Ader was arrested by Canadian police in Ottawa. Canadian Amanda Lindhout and Australian Nigel Brennan were kidnapped in August in 2008.
They were held for 15 months, in separate rooms for 13 months, and released in late 2009 after negotiations and the payment of a ransom. Lindhout told the Toronto Star after her release that her kidnappers were Islamic fundamentalists affiliated with the Hizbul-Islam insurgent group
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Friday they arrested Ali Omar Ader in Ottawa on Thursday. RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia told reporters the arrest followed extraterritorial undercover operations, but he would not say whether the Somali government had been kept informed.
Ader was one of the main negotiators during the 15 months the two journalists were in captivity, Malizia said. He said Ader had been in Ottawa for a few days.
Upon their release for ransom in November 2009, Lindhout and Brennan recounted having been beaten, tortured and nearly starved.
Lindhout and Brennan were kidnapped on Aug. 23, 2008.
Brennan tweeted the following message after news of the arrest: “Amazing news of the arrest of Ali Omar Ader, aka Adan the Somali criminal involved in my kidnapping. Finally Justice will be served!”
