'Commando op freed Israeli in Ghana'

Dror Weinstein, an Israeli businessman in his sixties who was kidnapped in Ghana last week was released in a commando operation conducted by Ghanaian security forces and aided by the Israel Police, it was reported Thursday evening.

Quoting the Foreign Ministry, Channel 2 reported that several days ago, Ghanaian authorities had turned to the Israel Police for help in securing Weinstein's release and that the police had assisted the Ghanaians by giving instructions to their security forces and by sending an expert to the West African country.

Hours before Weinstein's release early Thursday morning, Tel Aviv Police commander Ch.-Supt. Yossi Ben-Naim reportedly arrived in Ghana to assist in the negotiations with the captors, but Tel Aviv Police stressed that neither Ben-Naim nor any other Israeli were directly involved in Weinstein's release.

Weinstein's captors were demanding a $30,000 ransom for his release after kidnapping him last Tuesday.

The kidnappers initially demanded half a million dollars, but later reduced the ransom.

On August 26, Ehud Avni a businessman from Ra'anana, was kidnapped in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He was released on September 1 after a ransom was apparently paid to his kidnappers.

: Israeli businessman escapes captors

An Israeli businessman kidnapped last week in Ghana managed to escape his captors unharmed on Wednesday night.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said the man, who is in his 60s, had made contact with local security forces after he had freed himself. The ministry added that he had reunited with relatives who were also in the West African country.
It was still unclear on Thursday who the kidnappers were and why they chose to kidnap the businessman.
Last week, Ghana's National Security Coordinator Sam Amoo told the Ghana News Agency the kidnappers had contacted the businessman's family to demand a ransom of $500,000.
Amoo said Friday they had reduced the amount to $30,000. He also said a task force had been set up to try to win the release of the kidnapped Israeli.