Nigerian kidnappers refuse negotiations

The leader of Nigerian militants who captured four foreign oil workers said today he would not talk with negotiators sent by the government and reiterated threats to launch new attacks on oil installations.

Brutus Ebipadei, a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, also said American hostage Patrick Landry is sick and warned that if he dies, his group would kill the remaining hostages. He did not say why the other hostages would be killed and it was not possible to independently confirm the state of Landry’s health.