Kidnapping Businessmen: A New Profitable Enterprise [Archives:1998/48/Front Page]

It happened in broad daylight. It happened at 13:00 on Friday, November 20th. Mr. Abdul-Hakeem Hussain Shamsan, an Aden-based businessman was kidnapped at gunpoint as he, his children and friends came out of the noon prayers. This was in downtown Aden. The kidnappers – four men in tribal gear, drove away with their hostage. Appeals have been made to the president, prime minister, minister of interior, government of Aden, and director of Aden security. No results, so far!
That was not the first kidnapping of businessmen. Hostage-taking followed by ransom demands have now become disturbingly frequent.
By far the most famous case in Yemen was the kidnapping of Yasser, son of a Sanaa-based businessman, Jamal Al-Maqtari. Yasser was picked up on 29th September in Al-Safiyah Quarter, and was kept for nearly six weeks in Al-Fuqara’ village in Khowlan. He was released after financial ‘arrangements’ were concluded.
Yemeni authorities have yet to respond in an effective way to this new threat to law and order in the country.

——
[archive-e:48-v:1998-y:1998-d:1998-11-30-p:./1998/iss48/front.htm]