Freed Canadian hostage Joshua Boyle says he believes he and his wife were targeted for kidnapping because she was visibly pregnant at the time.
Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman were freed from captivity by Pakistani commandos earlier this week, five years after they were abducted by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network while travelling in Afghanistan.
Coleman was in her third trimester at the time of their kidnapping, and had four children while in captivity _ three of whom survived.
Get daily National news
Boyle said in a written statement to The Canadian Press that in the early days after he and his wife were kidnapped, before their eldest son was born, the kidnappers said they hoped to ransom the couple off before the baby’s birth.
-
![]()
Family eagerly awaits Joshua Boyle’s arrival in Canada -
![]()
Boyle’s parents eager to hear his side of the dramatic rescue story -
![]()
Parents of Joshua Boyle describe hearing his voice: ‘It was just Josh again’ -
![]()
Joshua Boyle’s parents ready to forgive their son’s ‘foolishness’ -
![]()
Parents of Joshua Boyle say they’ve waited for this day for so many years -
![]()
President Trump makes vague reference to Josh Boyle rescue mission -
![]()
Trudeau says they’re ‘working hard’ to get Boyle family back to Canada -
![]()
Canadian Joshua Boyle and family finally freed after 5 years in captivity -
![]()
Joshua Boyle’s Aunt ‘shocked’ after family released after kidnapping -
![]()
Joshua Boyle’s Aunt ‘shocked’ after family released after kidnapping -
![]()
Chrystia Freeland says government ‘greatly relieved’ Boyle family freed -
![]()
‘You have to have hope’: Josh Boyle’s aunt says they hope politicians working to get them home
- ‘Extraordinarily foolish’: Video shared online shows boat jumping in BC Ferry’s wake
- Saskatchewan cities seeing record-high housing prices, low supply
- Road to the Referendum: Lessons from Quebec as Albertans decide whether to leave Canada
- As murder trial begins, Lumby family’s search for justice comes with a heavy cost
He says the kidnappers said they believed the American government would pay to prevent the baby from being born in captivity.
Boyle says that after the children were born, the Haqqani militants who captured them were mainly focused on ransoming Coleman.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.