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The murder of Tomislav Salopek, a Croatian expatriate worker in Egypt, by the ISIL-affiliated Sinai Province, was the first such incident affecting a Croatian citizen. [1] On 12 August 2015, 22 days after his abduction, Sinai Province published a still image purporting to show Salopek's decapitated body. [2]
Salopek, a 31-year-old Croatian topographer working for French company Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (CGG), was kidnapped on July 22, 2015 while he was on his way to CGG's business site near Cairo. An armed group intercepted Salopek and seized his vehicle. The group drove off with Salopek in an unknown direction.
Salopek's whereabouts were unknown for the following two weeks. On August 5, 2015, a video entitled A Message to the Egyptian Government was uploaded to several video services in which the ISIL-affiliated group, known as Sinai Province are seen detaning a man who self-identified as Tomislav Salopek. Salopek was kneeling while a masked man with a knife in his hand stood beside him. Salopek was forced to read a note stating that ISIL demands for Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to release "female Muslim prisoners from Egyptian prisons", warning that Salopek would be executed if their demands were not met within 48 hours. [3] [1]
A CGG spokesman later stated that the kidnappers had contacted the company via e-mail, after first contacting Salopek's wife, and demanded tens of millions of euros for Salopek's release. The company repeatedly urged Salopek's captors to give them confirmation that Salopek was still alive. It is suspected that Salopek was first kidnapped by one group that asked CGG for ransom, and that they eventually, for unknown reasons, handed him over to ISIL. [4] [5]
The Croatian Government immediately set off a diplomatic initiative in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić later stated that many other countries also helped, including two of Croatia's close allies, the United States and Germany, as well as France, the United Kingdom and other European Union member states. Russia and Serbia also offered their support. [6] [7] Simultaneously with Salopek's kidnapping, the opening of the New Suez Canal was to take place. President of France Francois Hollande stated that a mission to locate Salopek was underway in a speech at the canal's opening ceremony. [8]
When the footage was published, Vesna Pusić, Salopek's wife Nataša, and agents of the Croatian Secret Service travelled to Cairo, where Pusić met with her Egyptian colleague Sameh Shoukry. Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, a former NATO official, spoke with Egyptian President al-Sisi. The president of the main organization of Muslims in Croatia, Aziz Effendi Hasanović, sent a "Call for help to the Arab Republic of Egypt to save an innocent life". He contacted, among others, Egyptian government officials and the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam. [9]
In the next few days, four Egyptian security services in cooperation with the Egyptian army and the police launched a major rescue operation. The entire operation was personally led by the Egyptian Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghafar. Security forces searched a series of terrorist strongholds in the cities of Sheikh Zuweid, Rafah and Arish, as well as locations the Egypt-Libya and Gaza–Egypt borders. [10] [11] [12]
On August 12, 2015, ISIL supporters uploaded a photograph purporting to show the decapitated body of Salopek to social media platforms. Buried in the sand next to the body was the flag used by ISIL. They additionally declared that the murder of Salopek was in retaliation for Croatia's participation in the international coalition against ISIL. Croatia, an EU and NATO member as well as a noted peacekeeping force, was supplying small arms to governmental anti-ISIL forces in the Levant, akin to other member countries of aforementioned organizations. [13]
According to claims of Egyptian intelligence service, Salopek was kidnapped by Islamist organization Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna and taken to Libya, where they subsequently killed him. [14] In November 2015, Egyptian authorities proclaimed that they eliminated a suspect of Salopek's murder Ahraf Ali al-Gharabali. [15] Salopek's body was never found nor returned to the family. [16]
Croatian President Grabar-Kitarović, who also serves as Croatian commander-in-chief, said: "I want to say firmly, as long as there is one glimmer of hope and one ounce of a chance that our Tomislav is still alive we will continue working, searching and trying to save his life. I would like to express gratitude to all those who are working on this case. First of all to the Croatian institutions and second, to all friendly countries and agencies, including many friends from Arab countries who are trying to save Tomislav's life." [17]
Following publication of the image, many state's officials condemned Tomislav's murder.
British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond stated: "If these reports are accurate I strongly condemn the alleged brutal murder of Croatian citizen Tomislav Salopek by ISIL in Egypt. My thoughts are with his family and colleagues and with the Croatian people. Britain will stand by Egypt and Croatia in continuing opposition to this inhumane type of terrorism."
The United States Department of State issued a statement in which they wrote: "Our thoughts are with Mr. Salopek's family and friends and Croatian people. If this news is confirmed, the murder of Mr. Salopek will be staggering crime that is at the core of ISIL's extremist agenda. We strongly condemn the brutality towards innocent victims throughout the Middle East. United States stand shoulder to shoulder with the Croatian people and all our partners in the fight against terrorism."
The German Foreign Ministry also condemned this crime in its statement: "This heinous act shows once again that the fanatical ideology of ISIS threats to all of us. Germany will in cooperation with its international partners continue to do everything possible to suppress ISIS, not only militarily, but above all politically."
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stated: "I'm terrified about the news that the terrorist group announced that it murdered Croatian hostage. If confirmed this despicable murder will confirm once more cowardly and barbaric nature of this terrorist organization. I express my solidarity with the Croatian government and the people as well as with the family of Mr. Salopek. France condemns all forms of terrorism and stand with Croatia and Egypt in fight against this scourge." [18]
The Spanish Government also reacted, stating: "We express our solidarity and full support to the family of Tomislav Salopek in these difficult times. We repeat to Croatia and Egypt our strong intention of continuing close cooperation in fight against terrorism, that ominous threat to the security and fundamental rights of all people. International community cannot remain silent and watch these mindless and brutal actions but must come together in a war against this disease of our society." [19]
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