New Delhi: A day after a video of Father Tom Uzhunnalil appeared alleging non-serious attitude on part of the government for securing his release from ISIS custody in Yemen, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reiterated that the no effort will be spared in seeking his return.
We have spared no effort and we will spare no effort to secure Fr Tom’s release from captivity. /3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 27, 2016
The video showed Father Thomas, a Salesian priest, asking for help with a man standing behind him. However, there is no confirmation on whether Father Thomas Uzhunnalil is now dead or alive.
Tom will be rescued like Father Alex Prem Kumar and Judith D’Souza were rescued from Afghanistan, Swaraj added.
We got Fr Alex Prem Kumar and Judith D’Souza released from Afghanistan. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 27, 2016
Swaraj said she has seen the video of Tom.
I have seen the video from Fr Tom. He is an Indian citizen and the life of every Indian is most precious for us. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 27, 2016
In July 20 this year, Sushma Swaraj had said in Lok Sabha that government was making efforts to secure release of Uzhunnalil.
Earlier, captors of Catholic priest Father Thomas Uzhunnalil have sent a video to the Indian government demanding millions of dollars in ransom.
Father Uzhunnalil, who hails from Kerala, was abducted in March by terror group Islamic State which attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in southern Yemeni city of Aden. At least 15 people at the old-age home were killed in the attack.
The Indian priest was kidnapped after ISIS terrorists barged into the care home for the elderly set up by Mother Teresa in Aden in 1992, and shot dead many people, including four nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, one of them from India.
The Indian government has been in touch with several local agencies to get the priest rescued. The reports of his alleged crucifixion was also dispelled after the government got in touch with ambassadors of the Catholic Church.