ALGIERS, Algeria: An Arab satellite channel broadcast a purported audio message Friday by an Italian woman saying she is being held hostage in Algeria by Al-Qaeda's North Africa offshoot. It was the first sign of her since her kidnapping earlier this month. An Al-Qaeda spokesman also claimed responsibility for the abduction in a recording broadcast on satellite channel Al-Arabiya along with the woman's message. The Italian tourist was abducted Feb. 2 in Algeria's remote southern desert while on a visit organized by a travel agency. Suspicion immediately fell on Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, which is active in the region and has often kidnapped foreign tourists. In the terse audio message in French, the woman identified herself as Maria Sandra Mariani. “I am the Italian woman who was abducted Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 near Djanet in Algeria,” she said.
