ammonnews.net

By Abdelrahman Mitib Altakhaineh - Jordan's ambassador has been kidnapped in Libya by masked armed men who attacked him and shot and wounded his driver. A spokesman for Libya's Foreign Ministry said that Fawaz al-Aitan was abducted in Tripoli's Mansour neighbourhood on Tuesday 15th April 2014.

The men, who spoke the Libyan dialect, according to the Libyan Foreign Ministry, then forced Aitan into one of their vehicles and drove away at high speed. EssamBaitelmel, a member of the Libyan team investigating the abduction, said the kidnappers had demanded the release of Mohamed Dersfrom a Jordanian jail in exchange for the diplomat's freedom. Mohamedis a Libyan jailed for life in 2007 for plotting to blow up the main airport in Jordan.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry confirmed that its ambassador had been abducted. The country's Royal Jordanian airline later cancelled Tuesday's scheduled flight to Tripoli.

Abdullah Ensour, Jordan's prime minister, told members of parliament that Aitan was abducted from his car as he was leaving his house but that the identity of the attackers was unknown. He added that the Jordanian government holds the kidnapping party responsible for the safety of the ambassador and will take all necessary measures to protect his life and release him.

Aitan had been the Jordanian ambassador in Libya since the establishment of the National Transitional Council. Before moving to Libya, he worked for the Jordanian embassy in Morocco as a diplomat. He is well-known as being hard-working, active and enthusiastic.

I know that this is not part of Libyan traditions and customs to hurt or kidnap their guest. Libyans whom I know very well are hospitable, generous and kind. However, Libyans have to fight these people and offer them no place. These people stop the prosperity and success of Libya we all love.

It becomes commonly known that Libya is not a safe place to stay in. In December 2013, an American teacher was shot dead in Benghazi and, in January 2014, a British man and a New Zealand woman were shot execution-style on a beach in the west and a month later, seven Egyptian Christians were found dead in a similar manner in the east.

As far as I am concerned, I think that the Jordanian government has to save time and effort and release the jailed man the same way the Egyptian government did. Firstly because the kidnappers are outlaws who will never negotiate or talk and secondly because the Libyan government cannot control them. I believe that even if the jailed man is released, the Jordanian security units will avenge sooner or later. I do believe in them.