France's last hostage returns home: Francois Hollande leads hero's welcome for man held for three years by Al Qaeda as speculation mounts that a ransom was paid 

• Serge Lazarevic, 51, kidnapped by Islamist militants in November 2011 
• Held by group known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb for three years
• Released in 'relatively good health' in Mali desert city Kidal
• After flying home to France he was greeted by President Hollande
• French authorities provided no details of the liberation
• President Hollande has said France does not pay ransoms 
• Mali security official said Al Qaeda fighters freed days before his release 
• They were serving time for Lazarevic's kidnap  
• Others have suggested a ransom was paid for his release 

By John Hall and Henry Austin For Mailonline

Published: 05:02 EST, 10 December 2014 | Updated: 15:54 EST, 10 December 2014

The last remaining French citizen held abroad by a terrorist group was given a hero's welcome on his return home after he was freed by Al Qaeda militants in Mali. 

But questions remain over whether a ransom was paid for Serge Lazarevic's freedom or if he was released as part of a prisoner exchange after spending three-years in captivity. 

'Being a hostage is a bit difficult, it's not easy,' Lazarevic told reporters shortly after he touched down on the tarmac of Villacoublay airport near Paris. 'But life is beautiful, to be freed again.

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A smiling Serge Lazarevic disembarks the plane that brought him back to his homeland. The french citizen was freed by Al Qaeda militants in Mali after being held in captivity for three-years. Questions remain over whether he was freed in a prisoner exchange

Lazarevic's daughter Diane (left) campaigned tirelessly for his release, urging French president Francoise Hollande to do everything he could to secure his release by Christmas. She flew back to France with her father after meeting him in Niger's capital Niamey   

Lazarevic was greeted by French president Francoise Hollande (right) at the Villacoublay airport near Paris. Hollande credited credited cooperation of the governments of Mali and Niger, but French authorities provided no details of the liberation

Last French hostage freed by Al Qaeda's north African arm

'I forgot what freedom is, don't ever forget,' he added. 'Be careful because freedom is the most priceless thing.'

During his time in captivity, he said he had lost around three stone, before going on to thank the people and president of Niger who worked with France to secure his freedom.  

Hollande also credited the cooperation of the governments of Mali and Niger, but French authorities provided no details about the liberation.

Worryingly for some, Lazarevic may have been freed in a trade.

A few days before his release, two fighters from the group known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb were freed from imprisonment in Mali, a security official in Mali told the Associated Press

They had been jailed for Lazarevic's kidnapping and that of his colleague, Philippe Verdon. 

The fighters were transferred to mediators in Niger on Saturday, before rejoining their colleagues in the terrorist group, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety. 

Hollande has denied that France any pays ransoms for hostages but Lazarevic's sudden liberation will once again raise accusations that France has paid ransoms to have its citizens freed.

Countries like Britain and America oppose this, arguing that it funds terrorism and encourages further kidnappings at a later date.

After Lazarevic's appearance with a thick beard and dark headdress in the last Al Qaeda video, his daughter Diane urged the French President to do everything possible to secure his release

During his three years in captivity, Lazaravic appeared in several videos released by Al Qaeda

But former anti-terrorism judge Alain Marsaud was far more sceptical on the subject of a paid ransom. 

'There is no reason for heated debate. We pay, we pay and that is all,' he told RTL radio. 'There is no release if there is no payment. Someone paid, if not the government, a business or insurance company.' 

While tight lipped on the details, Hollande was nonetheless jubilant at the return of his countryman.

'We've been waiting for you for three years,' he said with the ex-hostage at his side. 'Three years you've suffered. You're back. It's a joy to welcome you back.'

Warning French citizens to avoid risky zones, he mentioned Verdon, who along with Lazrevic, was kidnapped from a hotel in Hombori in northeastern Mali in November 2011.

Their families have said they were doing a feasibility study for a cement factory. 

Verdon, who suffered from an ulcer and tachycardia - an abnormally fast heartbeat - was found shot dead last year, and those close to his family suggested he had been executed as he was unwell. 

'Make sure you don't go where you can be kidnapped, Hollande warned. We're in a dangerous world. There are zones where you shouldn't travel ... we know the risks.' 

Lazarevic is the last of more than a dozen French citizens taken captive in recent years, with those held in Africa reaching a high of 15 last year. 

He was met by his daughter Diane in Niger's capital Niamey before making his way back to France.  

During his three years in captivity, he appeared in several videos released by Al Qaeda.

The most recent emerged in November and showed Lazarevic claiming to be so gravely ill that he believed his life was in danger.

Fears spiked for the safety of the towering Frenchman of Serbian origin in September after hiker Herve Gourdel was abducted in neighbouring Algeria and beheaded by ISIS-linked militants.

After Lazarevic's appearance with a thick beard and dark headdress in the last Al Qaeda video, his daughter urged Hollande to do everything possible to secure his release in time for Christmas.

Failed rescue: Only this week British-born American photographer Luke Somers (left) was shot dead by Al Qaeda militants in Yemen after U.S special forces attempted to carry out a rescue operation rather than make a ransom payment to the terror group. South African teacher Pierre Korkie (right) was also executed

He was accused, alongside Verdon of being a French intelligence agent by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Their families have always denied these allegations.

The pair were in the hands of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb as it and other hardline Islamist groups launched a takeover of vast areas of northern Mali in 2012, and as they were in turn ousted by the French army who intervened in January the following year.

Uncertainty remains over the fate of another French hostage, Gilberto Rodrigues Leal, whose death was claimed by an Al-Qaeda splinter group but whose remains have never been found.

'We have the grimmest information concerning him. His family knows this. But, France has no more hostages, it must have no more hostages,' Hollande said.

While the details of Lazarevic's release were not given, France has repeatedly denied paying ransoms despite being accused of using back-channels to do so by other Western nations.

'France does not pay ransoms, nor does France engage in prisoner exchanges,' Hollande said in September. But he added: 'This does not mean that countries do not do it. It has happened that some countries, to help us, do it. That I concede.'

Francois Hollande (pictured) said France does not pay ransoms but a Malian official said two Al-Qaeda fighters who had been imprisoned in Mali for Lazarevic's kidnapping were freed days before his release

The majority of foreign nationals held by the likes of Al Qaeda and ISIS have been freed, with the terrorist groups themselves claiming Britain and the United States are the only countries who do not make secret payments. 

Some estimate that Al Qaeda and its direct affiliates have earned at least £79 million from kidnappings since 2008, of which £42 million was paid in 2013 alone.

Four French journalists held by Syrian jihadists were released earlier this year. 

Only this week British-born American photographer Luke Somers was shot dead by Al Qaeda militants in Yemen while U.S special forces attempted to carry out a rescue operation.

The mission was ordered by Barack Obama after terrorists had on Thursday threatened to kill photographer Luke Somers, 33, within 72 hours unless a ransom was paid.

Another hostage, South African teacher Pierre Korkie, 56, was also executed by captors in the midst of the raid, US officials said.