kidnapping
United States
On 2 January, authorities located the victim of a cyber kidnapping, a Chinese foreign exchange student, in Brigham City, Utah. Online kidnappers had convinced the victim to isolate himself and scammed his parents in China into paying a ransom for his release. The victim’s high school reported him missing on 28 December 2023, and his relatives indicated they paid around USD 80,000 into various US bank accounts after receiving continuous threats against his safety. Virtual kidnappers frequently target foreign exchange students in the United States, as they may be more isolated compared to their peers. The perpetrators convince the student's relatives that the student has been kidnapped and demand a ransom for their release.
kidnapping
Colombia
On 16 January, members of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) kidnapped an Afro-Colombian social leader who was mediating a conflict between the group and the owners of a local mine in the Morales Municipality, Bolívar Department. The victim was held hostage until 23 February, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he was released to a United Nations mission. It is unclear if a ransom was paid to secure his release. The incident occurred despite a six-month extension to a ceasefire agreement signed by the ELN and the Colombian government on 6 February. During previous ceasefire agreements, the ELN had continued its revenue generating operations, including kidnapping and extortion, despite committing to suspending hostage-taking practices. The group's reliance on such activities is likely to perpetuate the threat of further violations of the current ceasefire.
organised crime
Mexico
On 5 February, gunmen killed four bus and taxi drivers in a coordinated attack in Chilpancingo, Guerrero State. This prompted authorities to suspend transport services in the state capital. Meanwhile, in January, assailants shot two taxi drivers in Acapulco and a bus driver in Taxco de Alarcón, both in Guerrero State. Skirmishes between these gangs have prompted a new wave of violence across the state, as these gangs vie for control of lucrative criminal economies. The gangs frequently kill individuals who refuse to pay protection fees and have a history of extorting businesses, including foreign companies, and kidnapping their personnel.
kidnapping
Nigeria
On 7 March, gunmen abducted over 280 people, predominantly students, from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna State. The kidnappers subsequently demanded NGN 1 billion (USD 704,000) in ransom for the release of the victims. There has been a notable increase in reported group abductions in northern and central Nigeria, primarily in Kaduna, Sokoto, Kwara, and Zamfara states, during the first quarter of 2024. This trend is likely influenced by several factors, including the diminished profitability of individual kidnappings. The recent incident may also have been motivated by the killing of a prominent bandit leader by government forces in Kaduna State in February.
kidnapping
South Africa
On 8 January, unidentified assailants kidnapped a pilot employed by a UK-based airline from a shopping centre at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. The pilot was reportedly taken to a remote location and tortured while in captivity. He was later released after the perpetrators withdrew unspecified funds from his bank account. At the time of writing, police had made no arrests. South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of kidnapping, attributed to pervasive criminality and the limited capacity of law enforcement agencies. While most victims are locals, foreign nationals are occasionally targeted due to the belief that they will secure large ransoms.
kidnapping
Papua New Guinea
On 26 February, armed militants kidnapped an Australian helicopter pilot and two local nationals, after the three victims had landed near Mount Sisa in Hela Province. The armed group released the hostages unharmed several hours later, following negotiations mediated by local leaders. It is unclear if a ransom was paid. Armed groups frequently use kidnapping as a means of generating revenue in the region. This attack occurred a year after an Australian academic and three researchers were kidnapped for ransom, and held hostage for a week, in the neighbouring Southern Highlands Province.
Extortion
India
On 5 March, several government officials in Bengaluru, Karnataka State, received anonymous bomb threats over email, warning that an explosion would occur in a public space in the city on 9 March at 14h48 local time. The email also demanded payment of USD 2.5 million. Extortion schemes by armed criminal gangs, typically targeting local businesses, are common in India, and threats occasionally escalate into violent intimidation, assault and assassination. In December 2023, the National Crime Records Bureau released a report showing that over 1,000 extortion cases were reported in Rajasthan, Odisha and Maharashtra states in 2022.
Wrongful Detention
Iran
On 17 January, Sweden summoned the Iranian chargé d’affaires to demand the release of all Swedish citizens detained in Iran. The statement came days after reports emerged that a Swedish national had been arrested in Iran earlier that month on unspecified charges. In addition, a second Swedish national, Johan Floderus, detained in Iran since April 2022, went on trial for allegedly spying for Israel, among other charges, on 10 December 2023. Iran frequently arrests Western and dual nationals for the purpose of diplomatic leverage, although the government denies that it imprisons individuals for political reasons.
Active Assailant
France
On 3 February, a knife-wielding assailant injured three people during an attack at Gare de Lyon in Paris. Police arrested the perpetrator, a Malian national residing in Italy, at the scene, who had travelled to France two days before the incident. Authorities suspect that he had deliberately targeted French nationals in the attack, based on anti-French content he had shared online regarding France’s military operations in Mali, which ended in 2022. Authorities also disclosed that the perpetrator has a mental health illness. Knife attacks are rare in France, although preventing such incidents by lone actors is challenging due to the unpredictable nature of lone actor attacks.
