TEHRAN, 9 December 2003 — Armed drug runners have kidnapped one Irish and two German tourists on a cycling trip in southeast Iran and demanded five million euros ($4.1 million) for their release, Iranian government sources said yesterday.
The sources, who declined to be named, said the kidnapping took place in Sistan- Baluchestan province close to Iran’s borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“They were traveling on bicycles on the road between (the cities of) Bam and Zahedan when the smugglers kidnapped them,” one of the sources said.
The sources declined to say what efforts were being made for the hostages’ release. Police Col. Mahdi Ahmadi said he understood the kidnapping took place yesterday.
Irish Embassy officials in Tehran could not immediately be reached for comment.
A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry said it was possible an unspecified number of Germans had been kidnapped but declined to give further details.
“There are indications that Germans are possibly involved. I cannot add anything else,” she said. “The Foreign Ministry has set up a crisis team.”
Sistan-Baluchestan province is a major smuggling route used by well-armed drug runners moving opium from Afghanistan to Western Europe.
