Greek aid volunteer kidnapped in Pakistan

October 4th, 2009 KARACHI - A pistol hidden inside a laptop was recovered from a foreign passenger on board a flight in Pakistan, Geo News reported Sunday. According to the airport authorities, the 9-mm pistol was hidden in the battery slot of the laptop and could have been used in a possible hijacking attempt.

September 30th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Greece is holding Pakistan responsible for the abduction of one of its citizens, Athanasius Lerounis, from Chitral earlier this month. "The Ministry of Interior is directly responsible for kidnapping of Lerounis,"The Nation quoted the Greek Ambassador to Pakistan, Petros Mavroidis, as saying.

September 20th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban has demanded a ransom of two million dollars and release of three of its Afghan leaders in return for a safe release of kidnapped Greek engineer Athanasius Lerounis. Former union council nazim Abdul Majid, who led a delegation to Afghanistan's Nooristan province for negotiations with the Taliban told media persons about the conditions set by the extremists for Lerounis's safe return.

September 17th, 2009 PATNA - Police have recovered a six-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Patna three days ago from Saran district in Bihar, police said Thursday night. A team of Patna police recovered Shresth Sanjay from Baniapur in Saran district.

September 12th, 2009 PESHAWAR - The Kalash community, which feels completely alienated in the country, has threatened to leave Pakistan if the government fails to take serious action against the kidnappers of Greek social worker, Athanasee Laironaise. "If the government doesn't take any serious action, we will leave Pakistan and go to some other country, a move which would bring bad name to Pakistan," the Daily Times quoted Taleem Khan of Talash community, as saying.

September 5th, 2009 PATNA - Three days after six guards of a construction firm were kidnapped by suspected Maoist guerrillas in Bihar's Jamui district, police have failed to make any breakthrough to rescue them. "A hunt has been launched to look for the kidnapped men but there has been no breakthrough so far," a police officer said.

August 24th, 2009 Memorial to kidnapped, slain soldier unveiledMADRAS, Ore. — Residents in central Oregon have unveiled a memorial to Army Pfc.

August 21st, 2009 PARIS - A French tourist who had been kidnapped in May in southern Pakistan was freed, authorities here said Friday. "I was delighted to learn of the announcement of the release of our compatriot who had been held hostage in Pakistan," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a statement.

August 21st, 2009 Kidnapped French tourist freed in SW PakistanQUETTA, Pakistan — A French tourist was freed Friday three months after being kidnapped in Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, authorities said. The man, identified as Antoine Falsaperla by the French Foreign Ministry, was released in remote Dalbandin district, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) west of the provincial capital of Quetta, local official Mohammad Tufail said.

July 1st, 2009 Former Greek Siemens exec ordered held in GermanyMUNICH — A German court said Wednesday it has ordered that a former head of Siemens AG's Greek branch be kept in custody pending a decision on his possible extradition to face money laundering and bribery charges. Michael Christoforakos, who holds both Greek and German citizenship, was arrested in Bavaria last week on a Greek-issued European warrant.

June 22nd, 2009 Police: Volunteer abducts baby from church nurseryGAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A church volunteer accused of taking home an 11-month-old girl while working in the nursery has been arraigned on charges of kidnapping and unlawful life imprisonment in Michigan.

June 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Hundreds of police trainees who were travelling in four buses in Pakistan's tribal region of North Waziristan were kidnapped by suspected militants Monday, a media report said. The incident took place in Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, the Dawn TV reported.

June 1st, 2009 PATNA - A three-year-old boy has been kidnapped from Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, police said Monday. This is the second incident of abduction in the district within a week.

May 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Ten security personnel were kidnapped Friday by militants in northwestern Pakistan, a media report said. The security men were kidnapped in Upper Dir district of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Dawn TV channel reported citing unnamed officials.

February 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Taliban in northwest Pakistan Sunday released a government official after holding him hostage for several hours. The District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Swat, Khushhal Khan was transferred to Swat valley two days ago and was on his way to Saidu Sharif area for taking over charge when he was kidnapped along with six bodyguards, according to press reports.