Much of this revenue reportedly comes from France. French media reported that the government had paid 20 million euros (about $28 million) for the release of four employees of a French nuclear firm. They were held by an al Qaeda affiliate for three years in northern Niger and were released last year.
The French government denied paying a ransom, but The New York Times indicated — based on reports from Le Monde and Agence France-Presse — that France did pay in that case and has paid out a total of some $58 million to al Qaeda or related groups.
Not surprisingly, the Times also found that of the 53 hostages known to have been taken by al Qaeda and its affiliates during the past five years, a third were French.
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