Cowen concern at kidnap of Irishman in Iran

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Brian Cowen has written to the Iranian Government to express his concern at the kidnapping of an Irish citizen by drug traffickers.

But Minister Cowen also praised the Gulf State for its “prompt action” in organizing contact between the Irish Embassy in Tehran and those leading the inquiry into the disappearance of Aidan Leahy and his two German companions.

The trio was kidnapped earlier this month as they cycled towards Zahedan in Sistan Baluchistan, a province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan and a major drug trafficking route.

The Germans have been named as David Storm and Oliver Brug. Mr Leahy, believed to be from Northamptonshire in England, was travelling on an Irish passport. His father Bernard is Irish.

Iranian authorities said police had obtained clues in relation to the kidnapping. Mr Cowen said: “I have written to Dr Khamal Kharrazi, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, to express my concern about the situation, which he shares, and my confidence that the Iranian authorities will spare no effort to secure the release of the captives.”

Mr Cowen said he had been in contact with the German foreign ministry and the governments are sharing information and “ensuring a co-ordinated approach towards a speedy resolution of the matter”. He also said they are in close touch with the family.

Iranian authorities say a ransom demand of 5m will not be paid. Drug-runners use Iran’s porous eastern borders to traffic opium and heroin to Europe. Kidnapping is rare there, although in 1999 ten Europeans were grabbed by drug traffickers but were released unharmed.