Armed drug runners have kidnapped one Irish and two German tourists on a cycling trip in southeast Iran and demanded $4.1 million for their release, Iranian government sources said Monday.
The sources said the tourists were captured last week in the dry, mountainous province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan and is plagued by banditry and smuggling.
“They were traveling on bicycles on the road between [the cities of] Bam and Zahedan when the smugglers kidnapped them,” one of the sources said.
They declined to say what efforts were being made to secure the hostages’ release.
German tourists on adventure holidays in remote locations have been the victims of a number of kidnappings in recent years.
Rumors that the German government paid ransoms for the release of some of its citizens have led to speculation that German tourists may be seen as lucrative targets by would-be hostage takers.
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Compiled from RedEye news services and edited by Lara Weber (lweber@tribune.com) and Chris Courtney (cdcourtney@tribune.com)
