Pirates hold kidnapped British woman in Somalia

MOGADISHU - Somali pirates are holding in central region of Somalia a British woman kidnapped last week after her husband was killed in Kenyan town of Lamu, witnesses said Sunday.

Judith Tebutt, 56, was taken hostage after armed gang stormed a resort in the remote Safari Village in Lamu and killed her husband last Sunday.

"We know that pirates here have brought an English woman they captured from Kenya and people in the town are very worried that it could bring trouble to the town," an elder in central Somalia, who asked not to be identified, told Xinhua.

Reports said that the British hostage is being held in a secret location in the pirate hotbed while talks between local elders and the hostage takers were underway to relocate the hostage from the area.

Initial reports suggested that the hostage was taken by rebels of Al Shabaab but the group later distanced themselves from the abduction.

The pirate group who are holding the British national have not so far demanded ransom for the hostage but reports said the gang have not so far established a safe area to keep their hostage to enable them to announce the ransom demand.

A number of foreigners are still being held hostage in Somalia by unknown militia groups allegedly allied with insurgent forces who control much of southern and central Somalia.