Finns Risto Vahanen and Seppo Franti arrived in Helsinki late on Tuesday from Libya.
Published:
13 September 2000 y., Wednesday
Finns Risto Vahanen and Seppo Franti arrived in Helsinki late on Tuesday from Libya, almost five months after they were kidnapped by Muslim rebels while holidaying at a resort in Malaysia.
Vahanen kissed the ground as he had promised to do after stepping off the government-leased plane at Helsinki international airport at around 9:30 p.m. The two were accompanied by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and other officials.
The Finns, laughing and looking relieved to be home, were greeted with flowers by relatives at the airport tarmac.
Vahanen and Franti were released in the Philippines on Saturday with two other Europeans and arrived in Libya on Monday.
They were among 21 people kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas from a resort on the east Malaysian island of Sipadan on April 23 and taken to the southern Philippines island of Jolo.
The rebels handed over the Finns to government emissaries on Saturday along with German Marc Wallert and Frenchman Stephane Loisy. The four arrived in Tripoli on Monday.
Šaltinis:
dailynews.yahoo.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
75 years after Moscow first opened its underground train system, Muscovites can ride a restored vintage train.
more »
A glacier melt threatens to cause massive flooding and destroy a centuries old monastic fortress in the remote country of Bhutan.
more »
What do countries as geographically diverse as Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Jamaica have in common? All of them criminalised homosexuality.
more »
Human rights is a key issue for the European Parliament and MEPs Monday took a first look at what the European Union did last year, when they discussed the EU annual report on human rights in the world.
more »
Researchers found high levels of mecury in a Japenese dolphin-hunting town, but say the mecury has no ill effects.
more »
Crowds of Mexicans marched peacefully through the capital city on Saturday demanding the legalisation of marijuana.
more »
Prisoners are reported to have dramatic improvements in behaviour after pets are introduced in a new scheme.
more »
Israeli Ultra-Orthodox MPs are lining up against activists proposing a total ban on furs, saying traditional fur hats are an important part of their religious tradition.
more »
EU Member States should organise social protection, including at least 14 weeks' maternity allowance, for self-employed women and self-employed men's wives or life partners, in accordance with national laws, said the Women's Rights Committee on Tuesday.
more »
How are the European Parliament, the European Commission and other parts of the European Union supposed to interest people and explain their work?
more »