A Canadian man held hostage by the Taliban since November 2010, has been released, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion announced Monday.
“Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful,” Dion said in a statement. “We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones.”
Dion also extended his “heartfelt thanks to the Government of Qatar for its assistance in this matter.”
Colin Rutherford/Facebook
‘Nicest guy’
Rutherford disappeared in November 2010 while taking a two-week vacation trip to Afghanistan.
But in May of the following year, the Taliban released a video of Rutherford, then 26 years old, giving brief answers to a man off-screen.
He said he was interested in “history and historical sites, old buildings, shrines” when he flew to Kabul in October 2010. When asked what his purpose was in Afghanistan, he replied, “I’m an auditor from Canada and I came as a tourist.”
In the email accompanying the release of the video, the Taliban threatened to put Rutherford on trial for espionage.
“I feel really amazing, it’s a fantastic news,” said Dorna Moss, who took some courses with Rutherford at University of Toronto. “He is the nicest guy and I’m very happy that he is finally coming home.”
It’s not clear where Rutherford was released, whether he was being held in Afghanistan or whether his captors moved him to Pakistan.
Canadian officials also refused to disclose his current whereabouts, saying only that “the Government of Canada will continue to provide Mr. Rutherford with consular assistance and will assist in facilitating his safe return home.”
It’s also not clear what role did the Qatari government play in his release. The Gulf state’s intelligence services maintain contacts with some of the radical Islamic groups and used to have close relations with the Taliban movement before the 9/11 attacks. Qatar has been instrumental in negotiating the release of several Western hostages.
It’s also not clear what the Taliban got in exchange for his release.
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