Stephen McGown, a South African who was abducted nearly six years ago from an inn in Timbuktu, Mali, by the North African branch of Al Qaeda, has been freed, officials said on Thursday. McGown appeared in a proof of life video released in July by a coalition of jihadist groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda, together with 3 missionaries and 2 other captives.
He was captured in November 2011, along with two European tourists: Sjaak Rijke of the Netherlands, who was freed by French commandos in Mali in April 2015, and Johan Gustafsson of Sweden, who was released in June of this year. The 3 men were taken from the inn they were staying in and forced at gunpoint into a van. A German tourist who refused to get into the truck was shot and killed.
McGown spoke to the media in South Africa about his time in captivity in the the Saharan Desert. Conditions were harsh and the first few months they were badly treated, not knowing whether they would survive. But after a while he said their captors “relaxed” and things improved, although there was no end to their imprisonment in sight.
McGowan told the media that he had converted to Islam while in captivity: “Before the desert, I was a Christian. They did not force me. I entered (Islam) of my own accord.” When asked whether he would return to Christianity he said he needed to read more and added: “I see many good things in Islam. It requires a very good character, a very strict character.”
Mr McGown has returned to his wife and father. Unfortunately his mother passed away while he was in captivity, something he is struggling to come to terms with. He learned of her death on the day of his release.
Stephen’s wife Catherine told South African media: “There were times where I wanted to give up hope… One’s got to believe in God’s plans to prosper and not to harm us. And I really believe that everything is going to be okay.”
It is alleged that a large ransom was paid for Mr McGown’s release, although South Africa’s foreign minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, responded vaguely to a reporter’s question about whether ransom had been paid, after she announced Mr. McGown’s release at a news conference in Pretoria on Thursday.
Al-Qaida-linked Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, Al Qaeda’s official branch in North Africa, were the ones who captured the 3 tourists and are well known for their large ransom requests or prisoner exchanges. Since 2003 the group has kidnapped dozens of foreigners, including travelers, aid workers and journalists, and amassed large wealth through the payment of ransom.
Extremists are still believed to be holding Gloria Argoti, a Colombian nun taken from Mali, Ken Elliott, an Australian doctor, Béatrice Stockly, a Swiss missionary and Iulian Ghergut a Romanian man seized at different times in Burkina Faso, and Jeff Woodke, an American who was working with a non-profit organisation in Niger.
Louise Carter
