Dagestani police say abducted Aryan Erkel of MSF still alive

According to data possessed by the Interior Ministry of the Russian Caucasian republic of Dagestan, the Dutch citizen Aryan Erkel, who was kidnapped in the republic 7 months ago, is still alive. Erkel worked as a coordinator of the local branch of the Medecins Sans Frontieres organization. Dagestan's interior minister told reporters on Wednesday that though the police knew that the abducted Dutchman was alive, they knew nothing about his possible location. ''We are waiting for the abductors to contact us soon,'' the minister said.

[12.03.2003] The Chechen Times