Father Tom Uzhunnalil, an Indian priest who was kidnapped in Yemen
early in March, pleads for help in a video that was posted on the
internet on December 26.The authenticity of the video had not been confirmed. However, friends and relatives say that the man who appears on the 5-minute video—appearing very frail—is Father Uzhunnalil.
“I am very depressed. My health is deteriorating,” says Father Uzhunnalil in the video.
He complains that little has been done to secure his release, although his captors have contacted the government of India.
In March, soon after his capture, Indian government officials had assured Church leaders that they were working to secure his release from his captors, believed to be affiliates of the Islamic State.