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Luke Somers' stepmother: We were ready to start raising money for ransom

When Luke Somers was kidnapped by terrorists in Yemen there was some hope that the US government would negotiate his release. But it didn't happen. Last week the Americans sent in a team of Special Forces to rescue the British-born hostage and it went horribly wrong. He was shot and killed along with a South African man.

Luke's stepmother Penny Bearman spoke to John Humphrys.

鈥業t was a complete shock...we weren鈥檛 aware, we knew there was a video where the Al-Qaeda were making demands but we were led to know they were political demands not ransom'.

鈥榃e were ready to start campaigning and raising money if that鈥檚 what it would have taken鈥e would have done anything to have got him home'.

'I think the family would have liked to have seen more discussion and an attempt to solve the problem'.

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4 minutes

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