Afghan Taliban frees Canadian man held accused of spying since 2010

A Canadian man, held by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2010, has been released, Canada’s government has announced. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement on Monday that Colin Rutherford was a tourist in Afghanistan when he was seized by the Taliban in November 2010. The Taliban released a video of Rutherford in 2011 and accused the then 26-year-old of being a spy. An Afghan official on Tuesday described the dramatic scene surrounding Rutherford’s release. It involved a helicopter landing to scoop the captive to freedom as fighter jets flew overhead in a remote district in Afghanistan. Police chief Gen. Aminullah Amarkhil said Rutherford was released at 11am on Monday in Ghazni province’s Giro district.

Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion

Mr Dion said: “We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones. The minister also offered his "heartfelt thanks to the government of Qatar for its assistance in this matter”, although it is not clear exactly what role Qatar played in the release. The Rutherford family have maintained Colin was on a tourist holiday.