Colin Mackenzie Rutherford is a Canadian who was held captive by the Taliban. In October 2010 Rutherford traveled to Afghanistan to pursue an interest in the country's ancient civilizations. Police informed his family he had been captured on November 4, 2010. The Taliban made a video of Rutherford public in May 2011. Trudeau, like Dion, thanked Qatar for their assistance. Taliban spokesmen confirmed that Qatar had played a role. The Taliban spokesmen said they had released Rutherford "on grounds of humanitarian sympathy and sublime Islamic ethics."