Gaza Kidnap Victim is French-Algerian Muslim

Updating a previous report, the journalist kidnapped in Gaza City has become an embarrassment for the Palestinian Authority.

From the Jerusalem Post:

The journalist was identified as Muhammed Ouathi, an Algerian Muslim with French citizenship who was working as a soundman for French Television Channel III.

Eyewitnesses said three kidnappers armed with rifles kidnapped him while he was walking back to his hotel in Gaza City. The three threatened Ouathi, pulled him into a white Subaru and drove away to an unknown destination.

PA Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfik Abu Khoussa said that Outahi was abducted while he was with another three French journalists.

"The unknown kidnappers left the three French journalists and abducted the half French, half Algerian journalist and took him to an unknown place," he added.

It appears that the kidnappers went fishing for a victim, found a keeper, and threw the others back. No group has claimed responsibility and Hamas has condemned the abduction. Given the level of lawlessness in Gaza, any of a number of thug criminal gangs could be responsible for the kidnapping.


[Update 8/15/05, 1530]

France has weighed in on the kidnapping of Ouathi.

From Aljazeera.Net:

"French authorities condemn the kidnapping last night in Gaza of Mohamed Ouathi, a sound engineer for France 3 television, and call for his immediate release," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement.

"Our consulate in Jerusalem is fully mobilized to this end, in liaison with the relevant Palestinian authorities," it said.

I believe that full mobilization of the consulate means they've stocked up on pate and wine and hired additional bartenders and food servers.