In the early hours of Thursday 10 October 2013 Zeidan was kidnapped from the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli by armed militants and taken to an undisclosed location.[8][9] The group of up to 150 militants had seemingly arrived at the hotel in pick-up trucks, and then a large group had entered the building with some militants remaining in the reception whilst others headed to the 21st floor, where Zeidan was staying.[3] The militants scuffled with Zeidan's bodyguards, before seizing him.