"Gabriele Torsello is fine"

New contact with the italian journalist kidnappers after the ultimatum expired






Monday morning at 11,30 am (afghan time) the staff of Emergency hospital in Lashkar-Gah has received a new phone call from the kidnappers of the italian photoreporter Gabriele Torsello, abducted on october 12 on the road from Lashkar-Gah to Kandahar. The staff said that "they didn't speak directly to Torsello, but the kidnappers have assured us he is in good health conditions". The new contact, besides reassuring on the physical conditions of Gabriele, may show that after the expiry of the ultimatum the kidnappers wish to keep a negotial channel open. The last phone call between Gabriele Torsello's kidnappers and the italian ngo Emergency had taken place thursday 19 october. Torsello spoke directly with Rakhmatullah Hanefi, the hospital's security advisor, saying he was fine and 'worried'. Lord Nazir Ahmed, british MP and friend of Torsello has made a plea for his release: "Set him free, he is a muslim brother"