Chronology Of The Kidnappings

Events in the kidnapping of six Western tourists by Kashmiri militants:

July 4 - Al-Faran, a Kashmiri militant group, kidnaps John Childs and Donald Hutchings of the United States and Keith Mangan and Paul Wells of England while they are on a trek with their wives and girlfriends in the Pahalgam area, 40 miles south of Srinagar. The women are released soon after.

July 6 - News of the kidnapping comes to light. The militants demand the release of 21 jailed rebels by July 15.

July 8 - Al-Faran kidnaps Dirk Hasert of Germany and Hans Christian Ostro of Norway. Childs escapes and is rescued.

July 15 - Kidnappers extend by two days a deadline for the Indian government to free 21 jailed rebels.

July 17 - Al-Faran threatens to kill the hostages at any time.

July 21 - Al-Faran claims two hostages were wounded during a gunfight between militants and Indian soldiers. The Indian government denies any clash took place.

Aug. 5 - Al-Faran releases pictures of Hutchings and Mangan lying on a floor swathed in bandages. The militant group scales back its demand, requiring the release of 15 jailed militants.

Aug. 12 - Relatives of the five hostages appeal to Al-Faran to free the men.

Aug. 13 - Ostro’s decapitated body is found with a note from Al-Faran threatening to kill the remaining hostages in two days if the militants are not released.