Freed hostages Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan pose for photographers in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.STR
When two negotiators from the British security firm AKE appeared in war-torn Mogadishu last week, clutching an unassuming rucksack stuffed with $600,000 U.S. of ransom money, not one of the bundled large denomination bills meant for the release of Alberta freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan came from Canada, according to a prominent Australian businessman who guaranteed the funds.
Australian entrepreneur and aviation enthusiast Dick Smith, who contributed money to the Brennan family as they frantically fundraised in Australia, agreed also to guarantee any necessary funds for the Canadian family after learning they were struggling to come up with money, but says he's surprised people in Canadian haven't been more generous so far.
"It is a slightly strange situation ... that basically an Australian businessman has ended up putting up the money for the Canadians," he said.
After 15 months in captivity, Ms. Lindhout and Mr. Brennan were freed last Wednesday in a hair-raising nighttime dash across a dangerous stretch of road into Mogadishu that drew warning shots from the African Union as the unrecognized convoy attempted to enter a secure zone.
Ms. Lindhout, who was admitted to a Nairobi hospital on Thursday, has been discharged, according to family spokeswoman Sarah Geddes, but there is no set date for her return to Canada.
Efforts to secure the pair's release gained momentum about three months ago after the Brennan family - exasperated with the Australian government's handling of the case - hired AKE at a cost of $2,000 per day, and convinced Ms. Lindhout's parents this was the only way to see their daughter's release.
Within just three months, AKE said it had reached an agreement with the kidnappers, but Ms. Lindhout's parents and supporters were still scrambling to cover even operational costs, holding fundraisers and sales. Mr. Lindhout took out a second mortgage on his home for $145,000.
That was when Mr. Smith was contacted by Calgary-based businessman Michael Going, a co-trustee of the Amanda Lindhout Trust, set up in late October to take donations in Canada.
In an e-mail sent in early November, Mr. Going said that he and the other trustee, Steve Allan, were "mining our extensive contacts in the Calgary business community to raise funds for the captive's release, and expenses for same," but were worried about raising the money in time.
"If we cannot get the actual money transferred in time for release this week, would you consider some form of guarantee/security until the transfers take place?"
"I said, 'Well I'll guarantee that, I'll come up with that,' " said Mr. Smith, who at one point told the Australian family he was prepared to cover as much as $2.5-million (U.S.) for both Mr. Brennan and Ms. Lindhout.
"You just concentrate with Amanda's family in getting them out, I'll arrange the money."
Mr. Smith said he was soon told by Mr. Going that a transfer of $250,000 would be made within 24 hours to an Australian account set up to cover AKE's expenses, including the ransom, but the funds never arrived.
Mr. Smith, who emphasized he has no doubts about the intentions of Ms. Lindhout's parents or her supporters to cover their end of the costs, said he was nevertheless surprised with the fundraising efforts in Canada so far.
"Only about a month ago, or three weeks ago, they basically had no money raised.
"I don't understand that in all of Canada you can't get someone who would donate that amount of money. That just seems quite extraordinary to me."
Mr. Going, who did not comment on the inability to deliver the promised funds, said "it's really going to be up to the families to move things forward from here on."
In an e-mail, a spokesperson acting on behalf of Ms. Lindhout's family said "we are not naive [enough]to think the family will not need incredible support from the Canadian community over the coming period of time.
"This ordeal has left both the Lindhout and Brennan families under immense financial pressure," Ms. Geddes said.