More hostage reports.

18th April 1997 Express & Star

The mother of one of the Kashmir hostages says she is “only too happy” that Uri Geller is trying to free them – by the power of thought.
The mind over matter entertainer is appealing to people everywhere to Join him in thinking deeply about the hostages for a minute at 11 am daily to try to achieve a breakthrough to end the long mystery over their plight.
Britons Keith Mangan, from Middlesborough, and Paul Wells, of Blackburn, were among a group kidnapped at gun point near Pahalgam, 60 miles east of Srinagar, on July 4, 1995.
Mr Mangan’s mother Mavis said yesterday of Geller’s involvement: “We think it’s great that he wants to help, although he stressed he cannot work miracles.”
“We are only too happy to take on board what he’s doing – it cannot do any harm and, who knows, we may gain something from it.”

Members of the hostages’ families are currently in India trying to apply pressure on the authorities to step up efforts to trace them.
There has been no confirmed sighting of the hostages for a long time and many experts believe they may no longer be alive.
Geller said: “I have to look positively at this and take the view that they are alive. Parents have strong telepathic links with their children.
“If the parents feel they are alive, my inclination is that they are alive.”
Mrs Mangan is too ill to join the other family members in India. But she said of Geller’s efforts: “If nothing else, the publicity it is generating will help raise the profile of the hostages, which is very important.”