Post date: Mar 08, 2012 8:53:32 PM
A Briton and an Italian held hostage in Nigeria were killed by their captors before they could be freed by a rescue mission, British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.
NIGERIA-HOSTAGES - Confirmed dead.
British hostage Chris McManus, and the Italian hostage Franco Lamolinara are both confirmed dead in Nigeria. This video of the two hostages surfaced in August -- showing three armed men wearing turbans behind them.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said that both men --captured in May of 2011 -- had died after Nigerian and British forces attempted a /joint operation to rescue them.
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON, SAYING:
"It is with great regret that I have to say that both Chris and Franco have lost their lives. We are still awaiting confirmation of the details, but the early indications are clear that both men were murdered by their captors, before they could be rescued. Our immediate thoughts must be with Chris and Franco's families, and we offer them our sincerest condolences. Both families have endured a terrible ordeal, and this is a devastating moment for all of them."
The family of British hostage said they were "devastated by the news" of his death but thanked those involved in the attempt to rescue him.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.