Freed Belgian tells how he was “sold” by the Free Syrian Army to a jihadist group

Freed Belgian tells how he was “sold” by the Free Syrian Army to a jihadist group

October 13, 2013 In April, Pierre Piccinin da Prata, a teacher from Belgium, was visiting Syria under the promise of protection by the Free Syrian Army.  Suddenly, he and his colleague, an Italian journalist, were sold as hostages to a group of Islamist fighters.
Pierre says the Islamists “wanted money.” Pierre says they were called dogs, and “we were considered as not really human beings.”  The only real men, the captives were told, are Sunni, Arab Muslims.  His colleague was subjected to mock executions.
After months of being held hostage, Pierre wanted to commit suicide rather than endure further humiliation and captivity, but was eventually released.
Listen to a few minutes of Pierre’s story in his own words during a Sept. 20 interview with the BBC: