Family of Freed Canadian Hostage Paid $100,000 ransom

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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1083846924118_24/?hub=Canada

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The family of a Canadian man kidnapped in Iraq last week apparently paid a hefty ransom for his safe return. A report in The Toronto Star say family members of Naji al-Kuwaiti, 64, paid $100,000 US to secure his release.

Foreign Affairs parliamentary secretary Dan McTeague has said that al-Kuwaiti's release was negotiated by Canadian officials in Amman, Jordan, as well as representatives in Baghdad.

The Star reports that a federal source told them that al-Kuwaiti's family paid the ransom, which was then passed on to his captors with the help of Canadian diplomats.

McTeague would not confirm ransom reports Wednesday, saying "we have no formal confirmation of that."
Earlier reports suggested the kidnappers were threatening to kill al-Kuwaiti unless they received $50,000.

Al-Kuwaiti, a resident of Toronto, had been in Iraq trying to set up a business as an exporter-importer. He was kidnapped last week in Baghdad by an unknown group and was released Tuesday night.

He is now out of Iraq and is making plans to return to Canada. McTeague says he is in good health.
Meanwhile, another Canadian man, Rifat Mohammed Rifat, is still missing in Iraq. He was last heard from on April 8.

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