ISRAEL: Two Israeli Bedouin Kidnapped Then Released

The family had received a $200,000 ransom demand, which had not been paid, the father of one of the students said.

Two Israeli medical students from the Negev Bedouin community of Rahat were reportedly abducted for ransom in Turkey, but then released without the ransom being paid. News of the kidnapping of the two, who are cousins, was reported by Israel Radio on Saturday.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it had no information to provide at this time, saying that it would be necessary to wait until the incident is investigated. On Saturday, their families pair said they had received word that the students were at a Turkish police station, according to Marzouk Katanani, a spokesman for the Bedouin Negev community of Rahat who is also related to the two.

Contact had been lost for several days with two, but the father of one of them said a random demand for the payment of $200,000 had been received on Thursday, but had not been paid. When the ransom demand was received, the family notified the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Israel Police, he said.