British hostage freed by Islamist militants in Libya

A British teacher who was abducted by Islamist militants in Libya last May has been released after five months in captivity.

David Bolam, the principal at the Benghazi Internationl School, was abducted while out shopping.

It is not known which militant group was holding Bolam, but it was claimed that a group that called itself Jeish al-Islam (Army of Islam) was behind the abduction.

However, the SITE intelligence firm, which monitors jihadist groups on the internet, could not verify the militants behind the video when it was released

Bolam, 53, from Craven Arms, Shropshire, had been held captive for five months in Libya but his abduction was not reported at the request of the Foreign Office and his family.

Bolam flew back to Britain on Thursday after local political factions released him.

In August, Bolan appeared on a video in which he pleaded to UK Prime Minister David Cameron to get him released by agreeing to a prisoner exchange. The teacher had also stated that the US had recently been involved in a prisoner swap and suggested that Britain should follow suit.

Despite the video, the Foreign Office confirmed that it was not involved in the negotiations but said that it was glad that Bolam returned safe after his ordeal.

 “We have been supporting his family since he was taken. We do not comment on the detail of hostage cases. The family have asked for privacy.”

“HMG [her Majesty’s government] does not pay, facilitate, or condone ransom payments, nor make concessions. Our kidnap for ransom policy is clear and longstanding. Ransom payments to terrorists are illegal. We understand that David’s release was agreed between local political factions. HMG was not involved,” the Foreign Office said.