German student kidnapped in Yemen

SAN'A, Yemen -- Yemeni tribesmen have kidnapped a German student and are demanding the release of six of their countrymen, security officials said.

Four armed men from al-Zaidi tribe forced the young German man into their car in the capital San`a before dawn Sunday.

The victim was driven off to a mountainous area in the eastern province of Marib, the officials told the Associated Press.

The hostage was in Yemen studying Arabic, they said, without providing further details on his name or age. The German Embassy in San'a refused to comment.

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A German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Berlin said the student was aged 22 and had been living in Yemen for several months.

She said the Yemeni government is negotiating with the kidnappers to free him.

It was not immediately clear why the six tribesmen were jailed six months ago.

Tribesmen sometimes kidnap foreigners and diplomats to press the government for better living conditions. The hostages are usually treated well and referred to as "guests."

In January, a German engineer was kidnapped by Yemeni tribesmen demanding jobs and projects to improve water and electricity services.

The man was released unharmed and it was not known whether the kidnappers' demands had been met.

However, in 1998, four kidnapped tourists were killed in a botched rescue attempt.

Angered by the frequent kidnappings, which have harmed tourism and Yemen's image abroad, the government passed a law in 1999 making abductions punishable by death.

Three convicted kidnappers have since been executed.