Family describe joy at safe return of Al Qaeda Mali hostage The wife and father of a South African hostage who was released unharmed after being held by Al-Qaeda in Mali since 2011 have spoken of their joy at his safe return. Stephen McGown was seized in the historic trading city of Timbuktu in Mali's north along with Swede Johan Gustafsson and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke, both of whom were subsequently released. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES