Yemen's al-Qaida Threatens US Hostage (Luke Somers) In New Video

Source: Associated Press

By AHMED AL-HAJ and MAGGIE MICHAEL
Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) -- Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen threatened an American hostage who was the target of a rescue attempt by U.S. special forces last month, warning Washington in a video released Thursday not to try again, and giving it three days to meet unspecified demands.

"My life is in danger," Luke Somers says in the footage, which appeared to mimic hostage videos released by al-Qaida's rival, the Islamic State group.

It was the first word from the 33-year-old photojournalist since he was snatched from the streets of Sanaa more than a year ago. He had been working for nearly three years in the impoverished Arab nation, "living as a normal Yemeni," friends and colleagues told The Associated Press.

In a video post of their own, Somers' mother and brother said Somers was "only trying to do good things for the Yemeni population" and pleaded with his captors to spare him. "Luke is only a photojournalist and is not responsible for any actions the U.S. government has taken," Somers' brother, Jordan, said in the footage posted on YouTube.

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