A former physics student from Birmingham, Miles Routledge, along with two Polish nationals, was arrested on March 2 by members of the extremist Islamic group, the Taliban, who now control Afghanistan. There are concerns for his safety as the Taliban is notorious for torturing and murdering prisoners. MailOnline has obtained the final photograph that he took before being held, in which he can be seen giving a thumbs-up while standing next to a Taliban member who is holding an automatic rifle.
The photograph, which was sent from his phone or laptop on March 8th, was accompanied by a short message that downplayed the seriousness of his situation. In the message, he explained that he had been taken by Afghan intelligence for taking around $1,000 out of a Western Union account, and that he had no internet access and no idea when he would be released. He assured his friends that everything was good but asked them to excuse his lack of communication. He added that he would be questioned for a few days.
A friend who received the message and photograph from Routledge said that they have had no further communication from him since he posted the message to his subscriber-only blogging site on March 8. The friend, who requested anonymity, said that they are now very worried for Miles, as he is usually very active on social media and has not been able to contact any of his friends for over a month.
Fears for Routledge's safety have increased as the Taliban have not confirmed that he is being held prisoner, but aid workers in Kabul are aware that he is a captive. His family has no idea if he is safe or why he is being held.
0 Comments