AMERICAS

1. (VENEZUELA, 08/12/18) Portuguese killed in kidnapping attempt in Caracas

A Portuguese businessman died in the morning of 6 December after he was shot in the chest during a kidnapping attempt in Caracas. Adelino Alves de Oliveira was opening his business, a bakery, when two men descended a van and at gunpoint instructed him to board his vehicle with them. Reportedly, the victim did not fight the criminals, but while following the assailants’ orders on where to sit, one shot escaped the man pointing at him. The events were reported by an employee of the bakery who witnessed the incident. FULL ARTICLE (1)

2. (MEXICO, 08/12/18) Man kidnapped and tortured over debt with narco-traffickers

Police in La Paz, Baja California State, rescued a man who was kidnapped and tortured by drug traffickers. The kidnapping occurred on 5 December in the department of Oruro, after the man failed to pay 19 kilos of marijuana he had acquired from his captors. The victim was transferred to a safe house in La Paz, from where the criminals demanded a ransom of USD 15,000 for his release. The victim was rescued after the police managed to trace phone calls and the IP address of WhatsApp messages sent by the criminals to the relatives. Four people were captured in operation. FULL ARTICLE

3. (COLOMBIA, 08/12/18) Authorities warn on increase in crime in December

Colombian authorities have warned on an increase in crime during December, particularly robbery, extortion and kidnapping. This is linked to the general availability of money during the festive season, as this period is well-known for the payment of Christmas bonuses and other work incentives. As such, the security agencies have recommended to be very cautious and not to inform too many people if any sum of money has been received. It is also recommended not to carry large amounts of money, especially at shopping centres. FULL ARTICLE

MIDDLE EAST

4. (LEBANON, 07/12/18) Lebanese intelligence reveals IS kidnap plots in Sweden

A military court in Lebanon has accused a 20-year-old Swedish citizen of Arab origin of preparing terrorist acts on behalf of the Islamic State (IS). According to the Lebanese intelligence services, the man was part of a group that plotted to kidnap the children of Western diplomats in Stockholm, Sweden. The group was said to be planning also terrorist acts in other European countries, including political assassinations in France. Reportedly, these plans would be funded by robbery, through the bombing of ATMs and other tactics. The man also admitted to have studied the Swedish police’s reaction to events, by participating in demonstrations in Stockholm. The suspect was detained earlier this year in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in northern Lebanon and will be tried by the end of December. The law firm handling the suspect’s defence has suggested that the Lebanese intelligence services may have forced him to acknowledge these acts under duress. FULL ARTICLE

5. (SAUDI ARABIA, 08/12/18) CCTV records kidnapping of petrol station worker

A CCTV video posted on social networking platforms showed two people assaulting and kidnapping an Asian worker at a petrol station in the Naqra area of Hail city. The video shows two criminals getting out of their car and pulling the victim inside, taking advantage of the worker being distracted filling fuel. The car is then seen leaving the station at full speed. The victim was later abandoned without injury in the city’s suburbs after being robbed of 5,000 riyals (USD 1,300) and his phone. FULL ARTICLE (1)

AFRICA

6. (MADAGASCAR, 08/12/18) Two foreign nationals kidnapped in Madagascar

On 8 December, Malik Karmaly, owner and CEO of Habibo Group, was abducted by an armed gang in the district of Soavina, Tanjombato. The French national of Indian origin was reportedly taken away on his own car, followed by another vehicle. The kidnappers reportedly fired shots in the air while forcing themselves into the victim’s car. In the evening of the same day, Sofiana Omrani, a Tunisian businessman, was reported kidnapped. It is not clear if the incident also took place in the city of Tanjombato. No more details are available on this case. FULL ARTICLE