TWO ransom demands have been made for the release of two former Hong Kong residents and a British tourist held by a breakaway group of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
The ransom notes were relayed to the Cambodian Government by Khmer operatives indirectly in contact with the captors, but authorities have been unable to confirm the notes are genuine or that the three captives are still alive.
Attempts are being made to open negotiations between senior members of the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian Government in an effort to have the three freed.
At the same time a parallel investigation is being conducted into unconfirmed reports that the three have been killed and buried in graves near where they were kidnapped.
Dominic Chappell, 25, his Australian girlfriend, Kelly Wilkinson, 24, and their British friend Tina Dominy, 24, were kidnapped on April 11 as they were returning to the southern port city of Sihanoukville from Phnom Penh.
Mr Chappell's father David said yesterday that British Embassy officials in Phnom Penh had confirmed that ransom demands had been received on Tuesday and Sunday. He would not say how much money had been demanded in case it harmed future negotiations.