MEDIA STATEMENT REGARDING THE SUCCESSFUL RELEASE OF 26 QATARI HOSTAGES
APRIL 22, 2017 – DOHA, QATAR – After nearly 16-months in captivity, 26 hostages, including members of Qatar's ruling family, were released in Bagdad, Iraq and flown to Doha, Qatar’s capital on Friday. “Our number one and only goal was the safe return of the hostages to Qatar and to their families. We are happy to acknowledge that by all accounts they arrived in Doha yesterday afternoon and are home,” said Sheikh Khalifa bin Fahed bin Mohammed Al-Thani, a member of the ruling, Qatari Royal Family.
In December of 2015, a group of 26 hunters entered Iraq with government-issued permits, for the purpose of hunting bustards with falcons. They were ambushed, abducted and rounded up by more than 100-armed men. It is believed that the Qatari hostages were held in small towns near Basra.
In March of 2017, after waiting 15-months for the Iraqi and Qatari governments to negotiate a safe return of the hostages, Sheikh Khalifa became frustrated with the lack of progress. He enlisted Miltos Goudamanis, CEO Global Strategies Council (GSC) to lead the royal family’s private efforts in jumpstarting renewed negotiations, raising global awareness, providing “proof of life” and the ultimate safe return of the hostages.
“Due to the minimum progress by our family in the Qatari government’s pursuit of a resolution to the situation, we had no choice but to identify a private non-government solution to the problem,” commented Sheikh Khalifa. “Our family made the right decision to hire Goudamanis and his company GSC. Miltos has been a long-time trusted friend, advisor and played an integral role in the safe return of the hostages by raising both renewed international awareness and applying political pressure regarding the need for their release.”
No stranger to the Middle East and its current geo-political climate, Goudamanis has 20+ years of experience in working with both governments and multi-national organizations on their most complex diplomacy, security and counter-terrorism issues. “All of our efforts supporting the Qatari hostage situation from day one were legal, transparent and compliant with the United States' counter terrorism laws. This included the filing of a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) with the US Department of Justice regarding our role,” commented Goudamanis. “Our Global Strategies Council team is proud to have played a part in the safe return of the hostages to their families.”
When asked about the allegations of ransom, payments and the abductors, Sheikh Khalifa responded, “with respect to allegations of ransom and payments made, I’m unaware and believe that it is necessary to have an independent investigation into the matter.”
# # #