More details are emerging today on the release of Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan from their 15 months in captivity in Somalia.

It appears their families were largely behind their sudden release. Lindhout's father re-mortgaged his home, according to reports.

Here is how the Globe and Mail reported the release:

The circumstances of their release remain sketchy. It began when Ms. Lindhout's father remortgaged his house a month ago. Although a deal for the pair's release failed last week, four Somali politicians intervened and a Calgary security firm got involved, resulting in the paying of a ransom.

"They [the kidnappers] took the money, and I don't know how much money was paid for us, which was paid by our families," Ms. Lindhout, 28, told CTV Wednesday. "It's been sort of going on for the last two-three weeks and then tonight finally everything came together."

One of the kidnappers, who called himself Noor, told The Globe and Mail in a telephone interview: "They were released after long negotiated deal between us and the negotiators. They are now free … our demand was partially met."

A Calgary-based security consultancy, Diligence Ltd., is involved in the case, its CEO, Daniel Clayton, confirmed to The Globe and Mail. The company provided "regular intelligence reports on the case of what we found out" to both the family and the federal government, Mr. Clayton said.

"Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on that operation," he said.

Reports vary on the amount paid to secure their freedom. The Associated Press reported it was $700,000, while Agence France-Presse reported $1 million. They key is they are safe now, and it will be interesting to see in the coming day and weeks if more details emerge about how the pair were released and to what degrees the Canadian and Australian governments were involved.

Here is a backgrounder on the Calgary-based security firm that was apparently involved in the negotiations. Its owner had met Lindhout in Iraq.

The Globe has also produced a backgrounder on Canadians kidnapped abroad.

This story is being driven by the newswire agencies on the ground in Somalia, and Canadian and Australian media outlets that have taken interest in the pair's ordeal.

Stories out of Australia suggest Brennan's family was also involved in negotiations for a ransom and the pair's freedom. Similarily, there is little information about the extent of the involvement of the Australian government.

Also, the BBC report on the release here.
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