November 19, 2009 - The Daily Star - Yemen Japanese engineer still held by Yemeni abductors

SANAA: A Japanese engineer kidnapped near Sanaa is still being held by Yemeni tribesmen, a mediator said on Wednesday, while Japan’s prime minister expressed hope the 63-year-old’s release was “close.Sheikh Abdel-Jalil, a tribal leader in Arhab, northeast of Sanaa where the engineer was kidnapped on Sunday, announced late Tuesday that the engineer – identified in Japanese media as Takeo Mashimo, 63 – was free.

But on Tuesday he backtracked, saying the announcement had been a “mistake.”

“The abductors had said they would free the hostage and had left to get him but when they came back they said they had changed their minds,” said Abdel-Jalil.

According to him, the abductors had agreed to release the hostage in exchange for the release of their relative – who is being detained by police – within 15 days.

“But at the last minute, they came back saying they want him liberated in three days,” Abdel-Jalil said.

The kidnappers were distrustful because a previous promise by President Ali Abdullah Saleh to release a detainee was not fulfilled, according to sources close to the kidnappers.

Japan’s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, meanwhile, said in Tokyo Wednesday that he was hopeful the hostage would be released soon.

“We are in a situation where he is not yet completely free,” Hatoyama said.

However, he added: “I am growing more hopeful that the release is close.”