<p><br /> The British aid worker abducted by gunmen in Somalia has spoken publicly about his ordeal for the first time.<br /> </p><p><br /> Zimbabwe-born Frans Barnard, who was working for Save the Children, said he was kidnapped in less then seven minutes as he watched television.<br /> </p><p><br /> He was released on Wednesday after being held for six days and was taken to safety in Nairobi, Kenya.<br /> </p><p><br /> A spokesman for the charity said his release had been secured with the help of clan elders and no money had been involved.<br /> </p><p><br /> Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi today, Mr Barnard described being "rudely disturbed" after watching his very first episode of 24.<br /> </p><p><br /> He said: There was quite a bit of activity - it all actually took place in probably under seven minutes. But the end of that seven minutes saw me having been taken out of my room, through the window and into a vehicle being driven away at breakneck speed."<br /> </p><p><br /> Of his six-day ordeal in captivity, Mr Barnard said: "There were occasions where things were tense but overall I would say without any hesitation that they viewed me as a commodity and that as a commodity the more unscathed I was and the more undamaged I was the better for them as well."<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Barnard was taken from a guesthouse compound in Adado, a small town close to the border with Ethiopia, on Thursday night of last week.<br /> </p><p><br /> A Somali national who was also taken from the compound with him was released unharmed within hours.<br /> </p>
