France confirms contact with al-Qaida group holding French hostages

PARIS, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- France is in contact with al-Qaida's North Africa branch over the fate of five French hostages seized in Niger, Defense Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday. Juppe, recently named defense minister in a government reshuffle, said contact with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, was "a daily concern." "Contacts exist, but the best way to make it fail is to make them (the contacts) public," Juppe said. In a video message broadcast last week by the Al-Jazeera news channel, AQIM said France should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and negotiate directly with al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden to ensure the safety of the French hostages. Foreign Minister Alliot Marie said Friday in response that France would not accept political interference from AQIM in order to win the release of the hostages. The five French nationals, as well as two other workers, who are employees of French nuclear group Areva and its sub-contractors, were kidnapped on Sept. 16 in the Arlit region in Niger near the Algerian border. Related: Qaida says France negotiated for slain hostage release: report ALGIERS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qaida's wing in North Africa said it had negotiated with Paris for the release of a French hostage before killing him in retaliation of a failed rescue bid last month in Mali, Algerian el-Khabar newspaper reported Sunday. Full story Bin Laden: French injustices against Muslims lead to Niger abduction Dubai, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of al-Qaida terrorist group Osama bin Laden said in a video aired by pan-Arab al-Jazeera television on Wednesday that the French injustices against Musilms led to the kidnapping of five French citizens in Niger last month. Full story Editor: Xiong Tong

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