LONDON Feb 17 (Reuters) - Kidnap
and ransom trends are in constant flux, with Somali piracy and Mexican
kidnapping on the up, while hostage-taking in Colombia and Iraq is in decline.
Below is an overview of global
kidnap trends with estimates of the numbers of foreigners taken captive every
month, compiled largely with information from risk consultancy AKE's quarterly
kidnap and ransom report.
INDIAN OCEAN -- 95 PER MONTH
Somali pirates hijacking merchant
ships in the Indian Ocean frequently take more foreigners hostage in a single
month than all other kidnappers in the world combined. Experts estimate several
hundred Somalis head out in small boats and increasingly on larger captured
motherships, boarding vessels and sailing them to pirate havens. At any given
time, the pirates are estimated to hold up to 700 hostages, mainly aboard their
ships in worsening conditions. Ransoms have risen swiftly over the last year,
with the record payment said to be $9 million for a Korean tanker late last
year. The average settlement per ship is estimated to be $3-4 million, with
ships usually held for more than 100 days. Shippers warn that despite
international naval patrols, the problem is worsening to the extent ships may
be forced to take a longer route around Africa, driving up costs.
MEXICO -- 20 PER MONTH
Kidnapping in Mexico is rising
swiftly. Most attacks target migrant workers from elsewhere in Central and
Latin America. These range from "express kidnappings", in which the
victim is taken to an ATM and forced to pay their own ransom, to abductions
lasting up to about 60 days. Abductions of Mexicans are on the rise, but
limited reporting makes estimating the numbers difficult. So far, Western
nationals have not tended to be targeted. The upper limit for a payout has
reportedly been $30 million.
GULF OF GUINEA -- 5 PER MONTH
While the dangers of piracy and
attacks on shipping and oil platforms in the Gulf of Guinea pale in comparison
to those in the Indian Ocean, the threat is seen growing particularly ahead of
Nigeria's April 2011 elections. Attacks tend to be more violent than those from
Somali pirates and the danger to crew higher. The average time in captivity is
less than 30 days and ransoms vary from $10,000-$2 million.
NIGERIA -- 1-2 PER MONTH
Kidnapping of foreigners and locals
continues to be a problem in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta with the
threat from both militants and armed gangs. Ransoms for foreign nationals range
from $28,000-$204,000, with ransom payments for Nigerians generally less than
$100,000. Time spent in captivity is varied, with the longest period some 465
days.
SUDAN -- 1 PER MONTH
Kidnapping, particularly of aid
staff in Sudan's Darfur region, is seen on the increase and is restricting
relief operations. Charity workers, United Nations staff and African Union
peacekeepers have all been targeted. The average time spent in captivity is 100
days. There is insufficient data to estimate average ransom payments for
foreign nationals. Sudanese command ransoms of less than $100,000.
AFGHANISTAN -- 1-2 PER MONTH
The risk of kidnap of foreigners,
particularly aid staff, reduces relief work in Afghanistan. A particularly high
proportion of kidnaps there ended in violent deaths, either through execution
or during special forces rescue missions. Foreigners kidnapped and released
alive can wait up to 300 days, with ransoms ranging from $300,000-$750,000.
Some 5-10 Afghans are taken hostage each week with ransoms of less than
$100,000.
SAHEL -- 1 PER MONTH
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
(AQIM) appears to have stepped up efforts to kidnap foreigners in North
Africa's Sahel region, while local tribes have also used this as a revenue
stream. Experts estimate kidnapping could have given $65 million to AQIM since
2005, the majority of its revenue stream. French forces have taken an increasingly
aggressive approach with mixed results as they launch military rescue missions.
PAKISTAN -- 1 PER MONTH
Both militant groups and criminal
gangs kidnap Pakistanis and occasionally foreigners. Pakistanis are generally
held for about 30 days for ransoms of about $50,000, while foreigners tend to
be held for longer with the record being 500 days.
REST OF AFRICA
Democratic Republic of Congo and
Somalia each see on average slightly less than one foreign national kidnapped a
month. In Congo, risks are seen highest in the east, with extractive industry
staff and aid workers most at risk. The number of foreigners kidnapped in
Somalia is low as so few operate there, but ransoms can be as high as $3
million and victims held for prolonged periods. There are fears kidnapped
foreigners might be sold to al Qaeda-linked Islamist groups who might kill them
for propaganda value or try to trade them for prisoner exchange.
MIDDLE EAST
Kidnappings of both foreigners and
local Iraqis soared in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion but have
since fallen sharply. Yemen is now seen as the Middle Eastern country in which
foreigners are most at risk of kidnap.
ASIA
Outside Pakistan and Afghanistan,
the greatest danger of kidnap in Asia is seen in the Philippines. Islamist
militants have targeted wealthy Chinese-Filipino businessmen and students.
LATIN AMERICA
Kidnapping in Colombia has fallen
sharply due to disarray amongst militant groups, public anger at the tactic and
better coordination by security forces. Kidnapping is seen on the increase in
Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
EUROPE
The former Soviet Union is seen as
having the highest risk of kidnap for foreigners, while a bad harvest has seen
an increasing trend of farmers being kidnapped in an attempt to gain control of
their grain stores. Short duration "tiger kidnaps" are becoming
increasingly common in Western Europe due to the economic crisis, particularly
in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. (Editing by Janet Lawrence)
