Seven detained in Kenya over French woman’s kidnap
Summary of story from RFI, October 6, 2011
Kenyan police have arrested seven people in relation to the kidnapping of the French woman Marie Dedieu on a resort island earlier this month (see WVoN story) .
The authorities believe the kidnappers, who took Dedieu to Somalia, were tipped off by local people.
“It is not possible that someone can come from a neighbouring country and go straight to a particular house and take away someone,” police chief Mathew Iteere told reporters.
“It is not possible at all and that is why we strongly believe that they have got sympathisers or cells or what we refer to as sleepers within the region.”
A police official said seven suspects, including a security guard, were being held for questioning.
An armed gang seized Dedieu early last Saturday from Manda Island in the Lamu archipelago, and fled by sea.
It was the second kidnapping of a foreigner from the area in less than a month.