Moscow - Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov has given the kidnappers of two British aid workers three days to free the pair and offered a £160,000 reward for information leading to their release, the RIA news agency reported.
If the kidnappers release Ms Camilla Carr and Mr Jon James before Saturday they could expect leniency during any subsequent trial, the agency cited Mr Maskhadov's press secretary as saying.
Mr Vachagayev admitted that the initiative was directly linked to the Chechen president's planned visit to Britain next week.