Facebook Kidnap Teen Rescued In Pakistan
A 13-year-old abducted after he was lured into a meeting is traced after his kidnappers rang relatives to demand a ransom.
1:56pm Monday 27 May 2013
Mustafa made friends with his kidnappers via Facebook (Picture: Geo TV)
A teenage boy who was kidnapped in Pakistan after being lured into a meeting via Facebook has been freed by police.
The 13-year-old, identified only as Mustafa, the son of a senior customs official, made friends with his kidnappers online six months ago.
He agreed to meet them and was then taken from Karachi to the town of Hub on Friday.
His family received phone calls demanding 50m rupees (£595,000) as a ransom.
Police said they used mobile phone records to trace Mustafa's whereabouts.
They shot dead four of his abductors and arrested a fifth during a raid on the gang's hideout.
Geo TV said two officers were also injured during the rescue.
Speaking after she was reunited with her son, Mustafa's mother made a tearful plea to parents, urging them to supervise their children's use of social media.
"This is my request to all the parents to never let their children make friendship on Facebook," she said. "I beg you for God's sake that you never do."
Karachi is the biggest city in Pakistan and is plagued by gang violence and extortion rackets.
According to the Overseas Security Advisory Council in the US, 2011 was one of the most deadly and violent years on record.
There were nearly 1,800 kidnappings for ransom and more than 2,000 targeted killings.
