SITREP 32: 13 HOSTAGES, INCLUDING 3 AMCITS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000445 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC, CA/OCS/ACS/AF FOR MESARITI ZAGREB FOR AMBASSADOR BRADTKE WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON DOE FOR GPERSON, CAROLYN GAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET PGOV PREL KDEM NI SUBJECT: SITREP 32: 13 HOSTAGES, INCLUDING 3 AMCITS, RELEASED JUNE 11 REF: A. LAGOS 442 ¶B. LAGOS 419 Classified By: Consul Alan B. C. Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Bayelsa Governor Timipre Sylva and TransCoastal (TCO) representatives confirmed the June 11 release of American citizens Bobbie Tyner, Shane McMorris and Richard Moore, four British nationals, one South African, one Filipino and one Nigerian national, who were kidnapped offshore Bayelsa State on May 25. The hostages were released to Governor Sylva in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The 10 individuals will receive physical exams in Port Harcourt, Rivers State before flying to Lagos, where they will depart for their home destinations. The Acting Consul General spoke to the three Amcits and British nationals on June 12 who confirmed they had been released and were unharmed. ¶2. (C) British national Jeff Treen and two Indian nationals kidnapped May 19 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State (Ref B),were also released to Bayelsa Governor Sylva on June 11. Security sources told the Regional Security Officer (RSO) on June 12 that they received information that the two Indian nationals had been "sold to MEND" (the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) before they were released. No further information was provided on the release of the hostages. ¶3. (U) Twenty-two expatriates are being held hostage in the Niger Delta (Ref B): --1 Chinese national kidnapped March 17, in Anambra State --1 Lebanese national kidnapped May 22, in Warri, Delta State --10 Indian nationals (including two women and two children) kidnapped June 1, in Rivers State --4 Schlumberger employees (1 British, 1 Dutch, 1 French, and 1 Pakistani national) kidnapped June 1, in Rivers State --6 ALSCON employees (four Russians, two South Africans) kidnapped June 3, in Akwa Ibom State. LATIMER