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Kidnapped Greek a
'guest' of Taliban
Dawn
by Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: A Greek national, Athanasius Lerounis, who was kidnapped by
Taliban from the Kalash valley of
Bumburate in October last year, is said be in good health and has grown
a beard, giving him a Taliban look.
A member of a delegation which had visited Nooristan to seek
Athanasius’s release from the Afghan Taliban told Dawn that the Greek
national was in high spirits and his captors were treating him as a
‘respected’ guest.
He said the delegation was allowed to have a number of meetings with
Athanasius, even in seclusion. He was also allowed to pose for a group
photo with the delegation, brandishing a Kalashnikov in his hand.
“During our long stay in Nooristan, we were served meals by Taliban in
the presence of Athanasius.”
The delegation members observed that the abducted Greek had cultivated
intimacy with his captors.
Led by a former union council nazim of Ayun, Abdul Majeed Qureshi, the
delegation consisted of Wazirzada Kalash, Musa Khan and Qari
Khairatullah.
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