Briton tells how he escaped Algerian Islamists

Reuters 2013-01-21

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Tony Grisedale is in Britain, safe and sound, after spending two days in hiding following a deadly Islamist attack on an Algerian gas plant last week.

The British man was one of hundreds working at the desert plant near the Libyan border when Islamists stormed the facility.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GAS PLANT WORKER TONY GRISEDALE, ASKED WHAT HE DID AFTER THE MILITANTS ATTACK, SAYING:

"I just went and hid and kept out of the way, basically, and that was it. It worked for me, we're here to tell the tale."

At least 80 people died in the siege and hostage taking, a venture that turned deadly when the Algerian army opened fire, claiming fighters were trying to escape with their prisoners.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GAS PLANT WORKER TONY GRISEDALE SAYING:

"I made my mind up it was time to get out and move and that was it. I just picked up my bag with my passport in and left everything else and we were escorted out by what looked like their special forces, to be honest, they were very cautious because they didn't know if there were any terrorists around, so they were very cautious about taking us out and got us out quickly and safely."

Algerian forces ended the siege on Saturday, and on Monday a security source said they had found the bodies of two Canadian Islamists among the hostage takers.

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