An estimated 1,000 people attended the funeral of the beheaded geologist Piotr Stanczak who was kidnapped by the Taliban in September 2008 in Pakistan.

The funeral took place in Krosno, southeastern Poland, and was attended by the city mayor Piotr Przytocki, regional officials, a representative of the Polish Foreign Ministry and Pakistani Embassy.

Forty-two year old Stanczak was kidnapped by Taliban on 28 September 2008 in the Attock border region of Pakistan. The geologist on contract for Geofizyki Krakow was beheaded on 7 February 2009. His body was returned to Poland last week. (mmj)