Western hostages held in Syria

Kidnapping westerners for ransom has become big business for the Islamic State group (IS) and Nusra Front, with some $35-45 million – an average of $2.5 million* per hostage – paid over the past year 
----------------------------------------
Jan

Feb

Mar 

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct 

Nov

Feb 2014: Russian engineer Sergei Gorbunov executed by IS

Mar: Spanish journalists Marc Marginedas, Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova freed

Apr 18: French journalists Didier François, Nicolas Hénin, Edouard Elias and Pierre Torres freed – allegedly for $18m ransom

May 15: Médecins Sans Frontières confirms that five of its staff members have been freed

May 26: Italian aid worker Federico Motka freed for alleged $4 million ransom

Jun 19: Danish freelance photographer Daniel Rye Ottosen and German national Toni Neukirch freed

1 Aug 19: U.S. journalist James Foley beheaded by IS after U.S. declines to pay $132 million ransom

Aug 24: U.S. freelance journalist Peter Theo Curtis freed after intervention by Qatar government

2 Sep 2: U.S. journalist Steven J. Sotloff beheaded by IS

Sep 7: Italian reporter Domenico Quirico and Belgian Pierre Piccinin de Prata freed

3 Sep 13: British aid worker David Haines beheaded

Sep 20: 46 Turkish consulate hostages freed

4 Oct 3: British aid worker Alan Henning beheaded

5 Nov 16: U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig beheaded

1

2

3

4

5
--------------------------------
France $58.1m

Qatar and Oman $20.4m

Switzerland $12.4m

Spain $11.0m

Austria $3.2m 

Ransom money paid to Al Qaeda and affiliates: $126.5m† (2008-2013)

Other $21.4m 

*figure cited by UK and circulated to UN Security Council in Jan 2014

†New York Times data
-----------------------------------
Sources: United Nations, Focus (Germany), Médecins Sans Frontières, New York Times, National Union of Journalists

Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images

words 307