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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Algeria siege: Alex Salmond confirms Scots among hostages | Algeria siege: Alex Salmond confirms Scots among hostages |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fears are growing for the safety of a number of Scots who are among the foreign nationals taken hostage by Islamist militants in Algeria. | Fears are growing for the safety of a number of Scots who are among the foreign nationals taken hostage by Islamist militants in Algeria. |
| Militants occupied a gas complex in eastern Algeria on Wednesday after killing a Briton and an Algerian. | Militants occupied a gas complex in eastern Algeria on Wednesday after killing a Briton and an Algerian. |
| They claimed to have 41 hostages, including French, British, US, Japanese and Norwegian nationals. | They claimed to have 41 hostages, including French, British, US, Japanese and Norwegian nationals. |
| An Algerian military operation is under way at the facility near In Amenas, the UK Foreign Office has confirmed. | An Algerian military operation is under way at the facility near In Amenas, the UK Foreign Office has confirmed. |
| Unconfirmed reports from Algeria have suggested that two Scots have been freed by the army alongside a Kenyan and a French hostage. | |
| Media reports quoting militants said 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers had been killed in the operation. | Media reports quoting militants said 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers had been killed in the operation. |
| Unconfirmed reports had also earlier said that a number of hostages - some 30 to 40 Algerians and 15 to 20 foreign nationals - escaped from the militants. | |
| The Foreign Office would not confirm how many Scots were being held, but BBC Scotland understands it is fewer than five. | The Foreign Office would not confirm how many Scots were being held, but BBC Scotland understands it is fewer than five. |
| Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Alex Salmond told MSPs: "The chamber will know that a terrorist group has seized BP's Statoil facility in the Algerian Sahara. | Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Alex Salmond told MSPs: "The chamber will know that a terrorist group has seized BP's Statoil facility in the Algerian Sahara. |
| "Citizens of a number of nationalities are involved, including UK citizens. I can confirm to the chamber a number of Scots are among the hostages. | "Citizens of a number of nationalities are involved, including UK citizens. I can confirm to the chamber a number of Scots are among the hostages. |
| "The UK government reports that one UK national has been killed in the attack." | "The UK government reports that one UK national has been killed in the attack." |
| Mr Salmond said that information was limited "in the interests of the safety and security of the hostages". | Mr Salmond said that information was limited "in the interests of the safety and security of the hostages". |
| "The priority is their safety and, of course, to keep families informed," he said. | "The priority is their safety and, of course, to keep families informed," he said. |
| "The Scottish Police Service is fully engaged with the Metropolitan Police Service in the latter, and Scottish government ministers are in contact with Foreign and Commonwealth officers on the former. | "The Scottish Police Service is fully engaged with the Metropolitan Police Service in the latter, and Scottish government ministers are in contact with Foreign and Commonwealth officers on the former. |
| "This is a hugely serious situation and I know that the whole chamber is united, both in condemnation of the attack and also in hoping for the early and safe release of the hostages." | "This is a hugely serious situation and I know that the whole chamber is united, both in condemnation of the attack and also in hoping for the early and safe release of the hostages." |
| The Scottish government said that ministers did not take part in the UK government's Cobra meetings on the situation, but were given information from the meetings. | The Scottish government said that ministers did not take part in the UK government's Cobra meetings on the situation, but were given information from the meetings. |
| The In Amenas gas field and its facilities are operated by a joint venture of the Algerian national oil company Sonatrach, BP and Statoil. | The In Amenas gas field and its facilities are operated by a joint venture of the Algerian national oil company Sonatrach, BP and Statoil. |
| In its latest statement, BP said the incident was "continuing" and remained "unresolved and fragile" | In its latest statement, BP said the incident was "continuing" and remained "unresolved and fragile" |
| BP's chief executive, Bob Dudley, said: "BP's overriding priority is to do all we can to ensure the safety of our staff and to support their families during this anguishing time. | BP's chief executive, Bob Dudley, said: "BP's overriding priority is to do all we can to ensure the safety of our staff and to support their families during this anguishing time. |
| "All our efforts are focussed on supporting the authorities to secure a peaceful resolution of the situation and the safe return of our colleagues, and all other workers being detained." | "All our efforts are focussed on supporting the authorities to secure a peaceful resolution of the situation and the safe return of our colleagues, and all other workers being detained." |