Nigerians kill seven foreign hostages: claim
AFP March 10, 2013 6:22AM
Islamist extremists say attempts by the British and Nigerian governments to rescue hostages forced it to carry out the execution of foreigners. Source: Supplied
A NIGERIAN Islamist group claims it has killed seven foreign hostages abducted from a construction site last month.
Intelligence sources said the group made the claim on Saturday and issued images it said were from a video of the dead hostages.
The group said attempts by the British and Nigerian governments to rescue the hostages, and their "arrest and killing of people", forced it to carry out the execution.
An official from the construction company, Setraco, told AFP he was aware of the report but could not confirm it.
There was no confirmation from Nigerian authorities.
Police last month said the victims of the February 16 kidnapping in Bauchi state included four Lebanese, one Briton, a Greek and an Italian.
Ansaru, considered a splinter faction of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
A two-paragraph statement in English cited "the transgressions and atrocities done to the religion of Allah ... by the European countries in many places such as Afghanistan and Mali".
