Monday, 22 December 2008

Police raid ends suspected kidnapping

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Vong Sokheng
Monday, 22 December 2008

A CHINESE national has been arrested in Phnom Penh on charges of kidnapping and terrorism after a police raid on his house ended violently on Sunday.

Hour Ming, 33, was suspected of kidnapping Seang Yuohour, a 34-year-old Chinese woman, who was believed to be held hostage for 13 hours in his house in Tuol Kork district before police broke into the property, Mork Hong, chief of the Tuol Kork District Police, told the Post Sunday.

After a standoff with police in which Hour Ming threatened to set off fake explosives, the kidnapper slashed the victim's right cheek and stabbed himself in the chest.

"We don't have all the information yet because the case is still under investigation," Mork Hong said, adding that both the suspect and the victim were currently being treated for wounds in Kosmak Hospital.

Mork Hong said that the Phnom Penh Municipal Police and Anti-Terrorist police of the Ministry of Interior now had control over the case, but Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, told the Post that he had not received any information about the case as of Sunday.

According to local officials, police had surrounded the house since 6pm Saturday night and arrested the kidnapper early Sunday morning, enabling them to rescue the victim.

Mork Hong said the kidnapper had told police he would set off a bomb with his mobile phone if police tried to break into the house, but it was revealed later that the explosives were really milk cans.

An official at the Chinese embassy in Phnom Penh told the Post Sunday that he had no information about the incident.

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