Portugal preparing to expel representative of Cabinda rebels

The Portuguese government on Thursday condemned the kidnapping in Angola's Cabinda enclave of eight Portuguese citizens. Three citizens were kidnapped 10 months ago and the other five last week, state radio reported. Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, said that he was waiting for the country's attorney general to inform him of the legal implications of expelling representatives of the Cabinda separatist organisations held responsible for the kidnappings.

He warned the separatist groups on Wednesday they would never achieve independence by kidnapping Portuguese citizens. Questioned on the possibility of the Portuguese state acting against supporters of the Cabindan separatists living in the country, the prime minister confirmed that "political and judicial officials were working to guarantee better security for Portuguese citizens in Cabinda and applying the rule of law in national territory".