LIBYA: HOSTAGES FREED FROM THE PHILIPPINES: GADHAFI'S SON

Описание: (29 Aug 2000) English/Nat
XFA
Libya insisted on Tuesday that it did not pay "astronomical" amounts of money for the release of six hostages from the Philippines.

The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi told a press conference in Tripoli that the figures being talked about were "absolutely wrong".

Seif el-Islam, who heads his father's International Association for Charitable Organisations, also stressed that the money sent from Libya to the Philippines was for development projects and said the details were available for anyone to see.

Gadhafi earned unprecedented international thanks for persuading the Abu Sayyaf rebels to release the six.

He is working on winning the freedom of 18 others - six foreigners and 12 Filipinos - still held by the Muslim rebels.

Negotiators in the Philippines say Gadhafi paid $1 million per captive, but Libya denies that.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think you want to know about (the money) which was used to release the hostages and I think it's a big confusion and misunderstanding and the astronomical numbers I have heard about this - and believe me it is absolutely wrong."
SUPERCAPTION: Seif el-Islam, Gadhafi's son and head of the Gadhafi International Association for Charitable Organizations

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And as many people said before, all the money we give to the region, to the authorities there to implement some projects to help out the people there - the poor desperate people in the region."
SUPERCAPTION: Seif el-Islam, Gadhafi's son and head of the Gadhafi International Association for Charitable Organisations

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I mean, I think you don't need to ask a lot about the money, the money, the money, because I think it's a big mistake and confusion to say that our organisation paid an astronomical number to release hostages, because nobody will give this amount of money for such an operation - maybe someone do it, but we don't do it."
SUPERCAPTION: Seif el-Islam, Gadhafi's son and head of the Gadhafi International Association for Charitable Organisations

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