YouTube Video Shows French Family That Was Kidnapped; Claimed To Be Taken By Possible Al-Qaeda-Linked Group [VIDEO]

A YouTube video shows a French family that was kidnapped in Cameroon six days ago by a possible Al-Qaeda-linked group.

Three adults are seen sitting cross-legged with four children in front of them, guarded by two armed and camouflaged men. A male hostage reads in French from a written statement, saying the group was taken by the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram who demand the release of militants being held in Nigeria and Cameroon.

The Moulin-Fournier family was kidnapped while visiting the Waza national park, which is a wildlife sanctuary in northern Cameroon. A group of bikers forced the family into captivity. Now they were demanded to be recorded on video, speaking off a piece of paper.

The family was visiting from Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, where the father, Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, worked as an executive with the French gas company GDF Suez.

One of the guards speaks in Arabic in the video, claiming Boko Haram seized the group in retaliation for the French military intervention in Mali. He says the hostages will be killed if their demands are not met.

An investigation is being made on whether or not this is even members of Boko Haram. Another investigation is if this video is real or not. If it is members of Boko Haram, then they are using a tick-for-tack routine in order to have members of its military freed.

France's Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, told reporters they were examining the video to determine whether it was authentic. "[We] have received information that the group Boko Haram is claiming to be holding the French family," Ayrault told reporters.

Because of this kidnapping, the French government was preparing for the possible attack on its tourist by the Boko Haram.

 Boko Haram, which declared a ceasefire five weeks ago, has denied involvement in the kidnapping.

At a press conference on Sunday in Maiduguri, a Boko Haram stronghold in northern Nigeria, spokesman Sheikh Abu Muhammad Ibn Abdulazeez said: "We have been hearing of late how people are linking us with the kidnap of the seven French nationals in Cameroon. We have nothing to do with the French people or their abductors."

Abdulazeez is sticking with the truce in his words. The Boko Haram's translation would deem others not to believe them.

Boko Haram is translated as "western education is sinful." There's concern that the group is increasing activities in other African countries.

Members of the Boko Haram have been described as supporting al-Qaida-linked groups by witnesses in Mali.

Below is the video.

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