Three Birmingham men 'kidnapped by Taliban' in Pakistan

Jan 9 2011 by Jonny Greatrex, Sunday Mercury

THE Foreign Office is investigating claims that three Midland men have been kidnapped in a tribal area of Pakistan and handed over to the Taliban.

Sources say that a £200,000 ransom has been posted for the release of the trio, who were snatched after staying in a remote village near Peshawar two weeks ago.

The Foreign Office has confirmed that officials at the UK embassy in Islamabad are investigating, but refused to confirm the identities of the men.

Relatives say one of the kidnap victims is Zahid Mohammed, who is in his 20s and from Birmingham.

His father, Zafer Mohammed, is said to have recently flown to the area to try and secure his release.

A source said: “The three men had been in contact with their family by phone, but then all their phones stopped working.

“We think they were in a real no-go area, somewhere the police don’t go, but they didn’t realise it.