Slavonian town remembers Tomislav Salopek one year after he was kidnapped and allegedly executed by ISIS.
One year ago, a young geodetic technician Tomislav Salopek from Vrpolje in Slavonia was kidnapped in Egypt. Three weeks later, the Islamic State announced on its website that he had been executed, releasing footage of the young Slavonian with masked executioners. The news about the kidnapping near Cairo shocked his family, Vrpolje, and whole Croatia. The shock culminated with the news that ISIS had issued an ultimatum for Tomislav’s life, reports Glas Slavonije on July 22, 2016.
Today, one year later, somehow it seems that in the maelstrom of news about terrorism and ISIS activities he has been forgotten by the public. However, his family and Vrpolje even today believe that their Tomislav is alive and that he will appear once again in the town.
“This day will pass normally as if nothing had happened because for the family and Vrpolje this is not the end. We are still waiting for our Tomislav to return”, says the municipal Mayor Ankica Zmaić. Therefore, she adds, the municipality has not organized any special event to mark the anniversary because they hope he is still alive.
Salopek was kidnapped on 22 July 2015, and the first news about the kidnapping was published on 24 July, when the French news agency AFP reported that unknown assailants had kidnapped in Egypt a Croatian national who was in the country working for the French company CGG, which was later confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
It was reported that Tomislav was kidnapped in the morning on 22 July in the area of Cairo while he was in a car traveling to work. On 5 August, Tomislav appeared in an online video in which ISIS threatened to kill him if their request for “liberation of Muslim women” is not fulfilled within 48 hours”. The man in the orange clothes introduced himself as Tomislav Salopek, gave basic information about himself and his family, and briefly recounted the course of kidnapping…
A diplomatic initiative was immediately launched from the Croatian side which, together with Egyptian colleagues, went to search for Salopek. Then Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić went to Cairo with Salopek’s wife, while the 48-hour ultimatum of the kidnappers expired. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović spoke with her Egyptian counterpart, and Tomislav’s father appealed to kidnappers to release him. Representatives of the Islamic Community in Croatia also demanded his release.
However, there were no news about Salopek until 12 August, when ISIS announced that he had been executed. However, his family and Vrpolje have still not lost all hope. “Where is the evidence that he was truly executed”, asks one of his fellow citizens.
