MOGADISHU - Somali pirates are holding in central region of Somalia a British womankidnapped last week after her husband was killed in Kenyan town of Lamu, witnesses saidSunday.
Judith Tebutt, 56, was taken hostage after armed gang stormed a resort in the remote SafariVillage in Lamu and killed her husband last Sunday.
"We know that pirates here have brought an Englishwoman they captured from Kenya and people in the townare very worried that it could bring trouble to thetown," an elder in central Somalia, who asked not to beidentified, told Xinhua.Reports said that the British hostage is being held in a secret location in the pirate hotbed whiletalks between local elders and the hostage takers were underway to relocate the hostage fromthe area.
Initial reports suggested that the hostage was taken by rebels of Al Shabaab but the grouplater distanced themselves from the abduction.
The pirate group who are holding the British national have not so far demanded ransom for thehostage but reports said the gang have not so far established a safe area to keep theirhostage to enable them to announce the ransom demand.
A number of foreigners are still being held hostage in Somalia by unknown militia groupsallegedly allied with insurgent forces who control much of southern and central Somalia.
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