Irishman freed in Algeria 'had explosives around neck'

IRELAND; An Irish passport holder who escaped after being taken hostage by Islamist kidnappers in Algeria had explosives tied around his neck, his brother said Thursday.

Stephen McFaul's family in Belfast in Northern Ireland said they were delighted that his ordeal was over after the Irish government revealed he was "safe and well".

His brother, Brian McFaul, later explained that the electronic supervisor escaped when the convoy in which he was travelling came under fire from the Algerian army and that he had earlier "had explosives tied around his neck".

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said he was "greatly relieved" to hear that the 36-year-old was safe, following reports that many of the hostages had been killed in an assault by the Algerian army.

Although Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, its residents are entitled to hold both Irish and British passports. Media reports said McFaul was travelling on an Irish passport in Algeria.

McFaul's 13-year-old son, Dylan, told Sky News television: "I can't even explain the excitement. I can't wait till he gets home... I'm just going to say that he's never going back there, I'm not letting him go back." The Irishman's father Christopher McFaul said his son was an electrical engineer with extensive experience in west Africa, and had been working as a supervisor on the remote In Amenas complex when it was attacked.

He was "delighted" to hear that his son was safe, he said.

But he added: "I feel sorry for the other hostages that are still there. We don't know what's happened to them, and the ones who have been killed -- I feel sorry for their families. The last 48 hours have been hell." Brian McFaul, who had managed to talk on the telephone with his brother, explained that the most difficult aspect had been "the not knowing part". "You are relying on the news agencies from around the world and you are trying to decide what story is true and what's not," he added.

McFaul's mother Marie said her son had spoken to his wife Angela by telephone and told her he was being debriefed at a safe camp.

They were just waiting for him to call, she said, adding: "He'll have coped very well. He'll have put his business head on and just got on with it."

She said there would be "a big celebration" that evening.

AFP