Yemeni rescue of German hostages vetoed by Germany, Britain others, available (Roundup)

Jan 7, 2010, 18:08 GMT

Sana'a, Yemen - A Yemeni official said on Thursday that authorities in Germany and Britain had rejected a plan by Yemeni police to carry out a rescue operation to free five Germans and a Briton held hostage in northern Yemen since June.

A German couple and their three children, as well as a British engineer, were abducted in the north-western province of Saada along with two other German women and south Korean female teacher last summer.

The bodies of two of the German women and their Korean companion were later found.

'We received information about a certain location, but the German and British sides had reservations about the operation in that place so as not to subject the family and children to harm,' Deputy Prime Minister for Defence and Security Affairs Rashad al-Alimi told a press conference, without giving details about the location or the date.

'We have appreciated this and now we are looking for other means. The information so far says they are still alive. We are looking for other means for setting them free,' he said.

He said the search is now focused on the al-Jawf, Saada and Marib provinces north of the capital Sana'a.

'We have got some intelligence, but we do not want to disclose them,' al-Alimi said.

It remains unclear who is holding the hostages. Sana'a blames Shiite Muslim Houthi rebels, who deny the charge.

Al-Alami said authorities believe that the Houthi rebels were holding the adults and forcing them to give medical care to wounded rebels in Saada.

He further said that the Houthis were coordinating with al-Qaeda militants in the kidnap.

He said security authorities have recently received pictures of the children, confirming a December 23 report by the German newspaper, Bild, that said the German government had received a video showing the children, aged 1, 3 and 5. It reported they looked exhausted in the pictures.