Al-Qaida owns up to kidnapping French nat'ls

CAIRO (AP):

Al-Qaida's North Africa branch claimed responsibility in an audio message broadcast yesterday for kidnapping five French nationals that disappeared in the deserts of Niger last week.

Seven foreign workers were kidnapped from a uranium mine operated by the French company Areva in Niger Thursday and were last seen heading toward the neighbouring countries of Mali and Algeria with about 30 captors before vanishing in the vast desert.

"The men were able to attack the mine of Arlit in Niger which is considered one of the most important sources of uranium that France has been stealing from for decades," said the excerpt purported to be from al-Qaida in the North Africa that was broadcast on Al-Jazeera news channel.

The message said fighters from the group overcame security in the area and kidnapped "five French nuclear experts" and said it would issue its demands to the French government "shortly."

"We also warn them from doing anything stupid," it added.

In July, AQIM said it executed a 78-year-old French aid worker it had taken hostage three months before, saying the killing was in retaliation for the deaths of six al-Qaida members in a French-backed military operation against the group.