BEIRUT: A local television station broadcasted, what they described was an audio message of the two Turkish Airlines pilots who were kidnapped last month in Beirut.
In the message aired by LBCI, the two voices identified themselves as pilot Murat Akpinar and copilot Murat Agca.
One speaker thanked his captors for treating them well and expressed how much he missed his family.
“I thank the kidnappers for their good treatment,” the pilot said, in the audio message which has not been independently verified.
“I miss my family, children, and my country and we yearn to see them soon,” he added.
A group calling itself Zuwwar al-Imam Ali al-Reza claimed responsibility of the abduction, demanding in exchange the release of the Lebanese Shiite pilgrims who were kidnapped by rebels in Syria on May 22 of last year.
Three suspects are currently in custody for their alleged connection to the kidnapping, all of whom are relatives of the Lebanese in Syria. Last week, a Lebanese judge charged 13 people for the kidnapping.
The families of the Lebanese have repeatedly denied their involvement in the abduction which took place on Aug. 9 as the pilots along with the airlines crew left Beirut airport.
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29/08/2013
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