Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 13, 2023
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Police suspect 79-year-old Israeli faked his own abduction in Ethiopia
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Screen capture from video of Ethiopian-Israeli Francis Adbabayi who was kidnapped for ransom in Ethiopia, July 2023. (Kan. Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Police are investigating whether a 79-year-old Israeli reported abducted in Ethiopia faked his own abduction.
Francis Adbabayi’s relatives previously said they’d received a recorded message in which he pleaded for them to secure his release. The alleged kidnappers also sent a short video clip and photos of Adbabayi in which he could be seen bound hand and foot and guarded by an armed man.
Adbabayi, 79, from Rishon Lezion, traveled to his home country of Ethiopia a few weeks ago. He planned to stay a month and was due to leave Monday.
Police have not said why they now suspect the kidnapping was staged.
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