Headlines
Warned of death if seen again in Afghanistan: Priest
Chennai, Feb 26
Jesuit priest Father Alexis
Premkumar Antonysamy Thursday said his captors in Afghanistan had warned
him they would shoot him dead if he was seen in the country again.
Speaking to reporters here, hes said his captors did not harm him except keeping him bound and blindfolded when travelling.
"While
releasing me, they said I would be shot if they saw me again in
Afghanistan," said Antonysamy, the Afghanistan director of educational
charity Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS).
The priest, who had been
living in the war-torn country for over three years, was kidnapped from
Zendjan district while he was visiting a project site last June.
He was visiting a school for Afghan refugee children and had just returned from a trip to Iran and Pakistan.
His
abduction took place 10 days after an attack on the Indian consulate in
Herat by four heavily armed gunmen carrying rocket-propelled grenades
and machine guns.
He was released from his eight month captivity recently.
According
to the priest, the captors treated him well and said they would release
him. At no stage did he feel threatened, said Antonysamy, who thanked
God and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his safe release.