Pakistan: Mother of captive American issues appeal

[Coventina]

Source: Associated Press

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — The mother of an American kidnapped in Pakistan pleaded for his freedom in a message released Saturday, describing her son as a "very gentle person" devoted to his humanitarian work.

In the family's first public appeal, Rose Solecki asked for help from the people of southwest Pakistan's Baluchistan province, where her son John was taken captive Feb. 2.

John Solecki was serving as the head of the U.N. refugee office in Quetta, and the U.N. is still trying to make contact with the kidnappers who have threatened to kill their captive.

The kidnapping has underlined the overall deteriorating security situation in nuclear-armed Pakistan, which is battling al-Qaida and Taliban-led militants in its northwest. In her message, Rose Solecki expressed bewilderment at her son's predicament.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkiMxbHNH0BqgpWA2ZG6VD6wVTmAD96FVNI00

[Turborama]

1. My thoughts are with his family.

Increasingly worrisome times in Pakistan, to be sure...

(edit to fix typo)