News

Monday January 21, 2013

Assault at Algeria gas complex may have claimed one of our own


KUALA LUMPUR: There is a possibility that one of the two Malaysians still unaccounted for in the Algerian hostage crisis is dead while the fate of the other person is still unknown.

Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said the Malaysian Embassy in Algiers had received information that a representative from JGC Construction Pte. Ltd, the company that employed the Malaysians, had informed them of the latest developments.

“The Malaysian Embassy will work closely with the Algerian authorities and JGC Construction Pte Ltd to further verify the latest news concerning the two Malaysians,” he said.

He said the three Malaysians, who were identified as safe — K. Ravi, Patrick Putrait Awang and Lau Seek Chiang — have been transferred from the In Amenas Facility Complex to Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

Anifah said officials from the embassy had met with them and arrangements were currently being made to bring them back to Malaysia.

“We have notified the family of the three Malaysians about their condition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the situation was unclear as only sketchy reports were coming in.

“I have been monitoring the incident closely, and even through our sources in and around Algeria, the reports are not very clear.

“Whether it is information from Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Egyptian Intelligence, or our very own Counter Terrorism Unit, there are still conflicting reports,” he said.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story
  • Bookmark and Share