Freed workers tell of fears for hostage colleagues left behind

Footage of several British workers said to have escaped the siege at In Amenas were shown on Algerian state television yesterday.

One of the men interviewed said: “My heart goes out to the guys that are still there and hopefully everyone comes home safe because, at the end of the day, it’s only work.

“I feel safe at the moment but I won’t feel 100 per cent happy until I’m back in the UK.”

Another man said: “As much as I’m glad to be out, my thoughts are with colleagues that are still there at the moment.”

A number of Scottish residents who were held hostage in the terror attack are now “safe and well”, First Minister Alex Salmond said.

Meanwhile family and friends of Northern Ireland man Stephen McFaul, 36, who was freed on Wednesday, were yesterday preparing to welcome him home.

Hundreds of employees were living at the In Amenas complex targeted by the terrorists and according to the state news agency, 630 hostages were saved in total, 573 of whom were Algerians.

The foreign hostages still captive are from eight countries including Japan, America and Algeria.

Many of the governments, including Britain, are not detailing just how many of their citizens are being held and it is still unknown exactly how many people remain alive at the plant, an operation jointly run by BP, Norway’s Statoil and Algerian Sonatrach.

Algeria’s state news agency said 18 militants had been killed.

A Mauritian news site yesterday reported the remaining militants were demanding the release of two terrorists held in the United States, including 1993 World Trade Centre bombing mastermind Omar Abdel Rahman, in return for the release of two US captives.

The site reported on Wednesday that the group behind the In Amenas attack, named as Those who Signed in Blood, were carrying out the operation in retaliation for French military intervention against al-Qaida-backed rebels in Mali. David Cameron yesterday defended the UK’s involvement in that mission. Britain has supplied two C-17 transport aircraft and other logistical support and is considering the nature of its contribution to a European Union training mission to the country.

“I would very much caution against anyone who believes that if somehow we stayed out of these issues and just said this has got nothing to do with us, this would somehow make us safer,” the Prime Minister said. “I don’t believe that is the case.

“Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, AQM, is out to harm, kill, maim, do the worst it can against Western interests, including British interests. That is a terrorist threat that we face that is made worse when we have so much ungoverned space in Mali.”

Mr Cameron discussed the situation in Algeria during a meeting with US defence secretary Leon Panetta. The two agreed on the need to work with governments in the region to defeat terrorism as well as providing strong support for the French military mission in Mali.

Mr Panetta condemned the militants, saying: “Those who would wantonly attack our country and our people will have no place to hide.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Algeria to do everything possible to protect the hostages.

Mrs Clinton said in a conversation with Algerian prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal that she had stressed that “the utmost care must be taken to preserve innocent life”.

Asked about the militant offer to trade two American hostages for jailed terror figures in the United States, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, “The United States does not negotiate with terrorists.”

British Red Cross workers have also been sent to North Africa to help Britons and relatives involved in the situation.

The team will provide emotional support and practical help as part of the Foreign Office’s rapid deployment team.

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