GERMANY: Germany's second hostage drama in two weeks ended peacefully after seven tense hours yesterday with the surrender of the hostage-taker, a 17-year-old armed man claiming to be a follower of Osama bin Laden, writes Derek Scally.
The man, believed to be of Lebanese descent, took a bus with 18 passengers hostage in Bremen city centre at 9.17 a.m. and ordered the driver to drive south.
Nearly 30 minutes later the driver radioed the bus company controller: "I am en route to Hanover. An armed man is on board." During the day the hostage-taker let hostages off the bus, which was being followed by a police convoy. The drama ended shortly after 4 p.m. near Hildesheim, when the man began negotiating with police and then gave up, letting go the remaining six hostages.
Police said the man planned to drive to Munich and negotiate the release of suspected Islamic fundamentalists in custody.
Two weeks ago a bank robber hijacked a bus in Berlin with 20 passengers on board. The hostage drama ended when commandos stormed the bus.
