Germany: Algerian terrorist caught
BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- An Algerian terrorist who held 32 Europeans hostage in the Sahara Desert last year has been captured in Chad, the German Federal Prosecutor's office said.
Ammari Saifi, also known as Abdrrezak al-Para, was taken into custody in Chad along with one other man, the prosecutor's office said Tuesday. No further details were disclosed.
The hostages were abducted in February and March 2003 and held for three to six months. They were seized in separate incidents while traveling in southern Algeria.
Algerian commandos freed 17 of the hostages in May 2003, killing their kidnappers. In August, 14 hostages were freed by their kidnappers and handed over to officials from Mali. One hostage died while being held.
The New York Times, quoting U.S. military sources, said Germany paid $6 million to Saifi to win the hostages' freedom.
