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China verifying claims citizen held by Islamic State
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CLAIMS that a Chinese citizen has been seized by Islamic State militants are being verified, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday.
He told a regular news briefing that China is firmly opposed to any violence against innocent civilians.
On Wednesday, the group claimed it had captured a Chinese consultant and a Norwegian man, according to its official online magazine, Dabiq.
In the English-language publication, the pair were named as Fan Jinghui, described as a 50-year-old Beijing freelance consultant, and Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad from Oslo.
The magazine posted pictures of the two from several angles, showing them in yellow outfits with captions underneath that read: “Chinese prisoner for sale” and “Norwegian prisoner for sale.”
The magazine gave no details about where or when they were captured, or where they are being held.
The Islamic State group is asking for an unspecified ransom for their release, according to the magazine.
Also written under each picture was: “To whom it may concern of the Crusaders, pagans, and their allies, as well as what are referred to as human ‘rights’ organizations, this prisoner was abandoned by his government, which did not do its utmost to purchase his freedom.
“Whoever would like to pay the ransom for his release and transfer can contact the following telegram number.” The Islamic State group said this was a “limited time offer.”
The magazine did not say how much money was being demanded, nor when the opportunity to pay it would expire.
In Oslo, Prime Minister Erna Solberg confirmed that a Norwegian citizen was being held, but insisted that “Norway does not pay ransoms.”
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Solberg said that 48-year-old Grimsgaard-Ofstad was connected with a university in Trondheim and had been abducted shortly after arriving in Syria in January.
“I can confirm that a Norwegian citizen has been kidnapped and is being held prisoner in Syria,” Solberg said in a separate statement, adding that a crisis cell had been formed to follow the case.
“This is a serious and complicated affair,” she said, adding that “our objective is to bring our fellow citizen home safely to Norway.”
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