Central SA
Isis flag, manuals found at Vaal crime scene─── 06:00 Thu, 30 Jul 2020
A crime intelligence-led operation investigating the kidnapping of a 72-year-old man uncovered evidence that could link the crime to a terrorist organisation.
The man was kidnapped outside his business on 2 July and a video ransom demand was sent to his family.
In the video, the man is held at gunpoint, bound, and naked. He pleads with the viewer to pay a R3-million ransom, in Bitcoin, or he will be killed.
Last week, the police raided a smallholding in the Vaal and arrested five suspects in connection with the kidnapping.
Law enforcement also confiscated numerous weapons, training manuals, and the ISIS Back Standard during the raid.
The five men were charged with kidnapping and firearm-related charges.
One suspect is still at large. The police are attempting to locate the owner of the smallholding property.
The police have not yet added terror-related charges to the charge sheet and are investigating the suspects' connection to other incidences of kidnapping and ransom.
