Al Qaeda-linked Group Reportedly Offers to Trade 2 Hostages for Terrorists Jailed in US
By: Fox News
Updated: January 18, 2013
The Al Qaeda-linked group holding hostages in Algeria has reportedly offered to trade two Americans being held for terror figures jailed in the United States.
A Mauritanian news site that often reports news from North African extremists received a statement about the offer Friday.
The Associated Press says Algerian state news service is reporting nearly 100 out of 132 foreign hostages have been freed from the gas plant.
An American from Texas remains missing after an Algerian military raid on the terror group reportedly ended the hostage standoff at the remote gas plant in the Saharan Desert.
Two Americans escaped unharmed Thursday, a senior U.S. defense officials told Fox News, and five other Americans who had been at the vast Ain Amenas complex were able to avoid being taken captive when the terrorists first attacked early Wednesday.
The Associated Press reports at least six people, and perhaps many more, were killed -- Britons, Filipinos and Algerians -- in the Algerians special forces' rescue mission.
Dozens more remained unaccounted for, including Britons, French, Norwegians, Romanians, Malaysians, Japanese, Algerians, at least one American and the fighters themselves.
The two Americans who managed to escape before the raid are en route to London, sources told Fox News.
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