McGown was looking forward to getting his freedom while in captivity
Image: Alon Skuy.
Apart from missing his family‚ Stephen McGown was looking forward to obtaining his freedom after being taken hostage by Islamist militants in Mali in 2011.
McGown was abducted while seated in a restaurant in Timbuktu. He was in the country as a tourist‚ travelling by motorcycle.
"I was looked after well‚ but I was looking forward to getting freedom‚ being in charge of yourself‚" he said of his more than six years in captivity.
McGown was recently freed by his captives. He was the last of three hostages to be released after Dutchman Sjaak Rijke was freed in 2015‚ and Swede Johan Gustafsson in June this year.
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McGown said he had been kept in the dark when in the desert. He had not heard of his mother's death until he was released two weeks ago.
"I suspected my mother had passed away. I found out on the Sunday I came back.
"My mother was an amazing lady. What a role model.
"I didn't have any information. Not having many books in English‚ not knowing Arabic and French‚[it was difficult]‚" said McGown.
He said he was looking forward to working with his father Malcolm in the family business.