Given the recent spate of kidnappings in the Middle East, and the subsequent execution of some hostages, the world’s media went into a feeding frenzy when the Al-Jazeera broke the story an Australian, two Omanis and a Yemeni national had been kidnapped by armed tribesmen.

The Associated Press, citing an anonymous contact in the Australian Consulate in Riyadh, confirmed the authorities were “aware of the report” but could not substantiate it at the time.

It was Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DP-A) which finally told the complete story and confirmed the men worked for Nexen when it revealed the Yemeni authorities had received confirmation from the Canadian firm its men were missing.

Nexen was not available for comment but the DP-A, citing “senior government officials”, said, “The men were taken hostage for a few hours by a group belonged to the al-Jidaan tribe in neighbouring Marib province. Tribal sources said armed tribesmen took the men hostage as they drove through Marib. [They] were “hosted for lunch” by the tribesmen and then they were let go.”

No further details were available but the four “lunch guests” are considered quite lucky; even though the Yemeni tribesmen have “invited” many such “guests” in such a way. Back in 1998, three Britons and an Australian were killed when the security forces tried to rescue a group of 16 Western tourists from the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army.