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| Copies posted on a local website shows the IDs of three of the Estonians |
TALLINN: Seven Estonian tourists kidnapped in Lebanon two months ago pleaded for help in a video released Friday, criticising their government for abandoning them and saying they were in “great danger”.
“We are very tired and in great danger. We ask our families and all who know us to help us,” one of the seven men, Kalev Kaosaar, says in the video, a link to which was published by the Estonian foreign ministry.
“We have been imprisoned for 54 days by now and it has been very hard time for us.” He said he was speaking on Monday.
“We ask Estonian government to help us as Estonian government has left us and is not willing to help us any more,” he added, surrounded by his six companions.
The foreign ministry said it had received the video late Thursday.
The ministry said no concrete demands had been made for the tourists release in the video, adding that it was continuing to work with Lebanon “and other partners” to win their release.
The men, all in their 30s, were kidnapped on March 23 shortly after entering Lebanon on a bicycle tour from neighbouring Syria.
The case remains shrouded in mystery with little information gleaned on their whereabouts or those behind the abduction.
Authorities initially appeared confident that the case would quickly be resolved after recovering a mini-van and car used in the kidnapping and arresting several people.
But the trail appears to have gone cold with two key suspects -- a Lebanese and a Syrian -- still on the run and no clear evidence as to who ordered the kidnapping.
“We are very tired and in great danger. We ask our families and all who know us to help us,” one of the seven men, Kalev Kaosaar, says in the video, a link to which was published by the Estonian foreign ministry.
“We have been imprisoned for 54 days by now and it has been very hard time for us.” He said he was speaking on Monday.
“We ask Estonian government to help us as Estonian government has left us and is not willing to help us any more,” he added, surrounded by his six companions.
The foreign ministry said it had received the video late Thursday.
The ministry said no concrete demands had been made for the tourists release in the video, adding that it was continuing to work with Lebanon “and other partners” to win their release.
The men, all in their 30s, were kidnapped on March 23 shortly after entering Lebanon on a bicycle tour from neighbouring Syria.
The case remains shrouded in mystery with little information gleaned on their whereabouts or those behind the abduction.
Authorities initially appeared confident that the case would quickly be resolved after recovering a mini-van and car used in the kidnapping and arresting several people.
But the trail appears to have gone cold with two key suspects -- a Lebanese and a Syrian -- still on the run and no clear evidence as to who ordered the kidnapping.
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