Had been abused

Berlin police free abducted man

Police in Berlin have now freed a kidnapped man who is believed to have been abused (symbolic image).

(Bild: APA/dpa/Paul Zinken (Symbolbild))

Police in Berlin have now freed a kidnapped man who was abducted and abused. He is said to be a Swedish ex-ice hockey player. According to the public prosecutor's office, four suspects aged between 17 and 35 were arrested.

However, more people were involved in the kidnapping, the authorities said. Further information on the places where the victim was held and the kidnappers' possible demands was not initially available. According to "Bild" information, the police had already stormed a room in the generator hostel on January 18. This was the last hiding place of the kidnappers, who had abducted the Swede for several days.

Ransom demanded?
According to the report, the perpetrators demanded a ransom for the release of the former athlete. The four suspects, who are now in custody, are said to be an Italian (35), an Iraqi (32), a Swede (34) and a Ukrainian (17). The mastermind had tried to flee from Berlin to London by plane.

Interpol had reportedly alerted the Berlin police to a possible kidnapping. The Berlin authorities are now working closely with the Swedish authorities. They are investigating whether there are any links to organized crime networks.