They paid a $1M ransom to the terrorists. Nice. Wiat, I thought the terrorists were doing this to rid get rid of the West? Oh, but money works too.
wow. That’s interesting. I was wondering why they were released fairly quickly.
In addition to hostage taking, it appears that terrorist can get their money from US taxpayers. Did you read the MSNBC.COM article about the boon of Fundamentalist Muslim schools in Iraq. Lovely…
What I’d like to know is how these negotiations are being conducted. I saw last night that a Muslim group from England is negotiating to secure the release of a British hostage.
If they’re negotiating face to face, I’d like to know why they don’t just pull out a gun and shoot the terrorists at the table.
Terry Waite, John McCarthy I think were held for 5+ years. Throughout that time negotiations took place. I am reasonably sure that had they know or been able to find out where they were they would have done something about it.
You think that’s bad, just look at the concessions Israel has given to get the dead bodies of it’s soldiers back from Hizballah et. al.
I have read a few articles on this, and of course, they Italians say they didn’t but seems clear they did. What I read said it was Italian secret service and a number of people including King Abdullah (sp?) of Jordan who helped negotiate the release. The original demand was apparently $5 million and withdrawl of Italian troops.
I think they will find this is a big mistake and one they will pay for. If I am in Iraq right now and am one of these monsters who am I looking for right now? I could make a good living picking off a couple Italians a month at a million a shot. Very dangerous decision and one of the most damaging things is it cracks what was a united front against this.
**I am reasonably sure that had they know or been able to find out where they were they would have done something about it. **
I’m not saying that just because they’re negotiating, they know where the hostages are. I’m wondering if they’re carrying out the negotiations in person, or through third parties, or what.
That’s exactly right. There’s a good reason not to negotiate with terrorists. The only thing it demonstrates is weakness.
I think it’s pretty safe to assume that 3rd parties are involved…
That’s because having the body (any part) has significant implications in judaism when it comes to burial and mourning, etc.
Yeah, probably. Maybe it was the Sudafed-haze I was in last night, but I got the impression that the English group had face to face contact. Doesn’t make much sense now that I think about it.
You might all be right in what you’re saying, but why talk about terrorists, while the CNN report talks about criminals?
Because I’m assuming that the “criminal gangs” are connected with the terrorist groups. I might be wrong about that, but I doubt it.
And because it doesn’t matter- caving in to one group of hostage-takers emboldens all the other groups of hostage-takers just as well.
OK, I see your point. However it could be said that this policy can only serve to encourage terrorists to kidnap Israelis…
Friends of mine in the intel community over there report that there is a phenomenon of organized gangs kidnapping hostages and then selling them to the various terrorist cells. It may be that this particular “cell” was in fact not a terrorist organization at all, but was in fact a gang masquerading as a cell.
Tony
I think the point with this whole deal is that this is no longer terrorist hostage taking, it’s criminal kidnapping. They’re asking for money. Deal with them the way law enforcement always deals with kidnappers. You don’t give them money and expect them not to try again.
Yeah, kidnapping is definitely a growth industry over there. Same thing goes on in Mexico City and kidnapping for ransom has been a time-honored practice for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in parts of China and Hong Kong.
Tony
**kidnapping for ransom has been a time-honored practice for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in parts of China and Hong Kong. **
Maybe that’s because paying the ransom has been an equally time-honored practice over there. . .
In China or Hong Kong, the kidnappers usually cut off an ear and send it to the family in a wooden box or something similar. The ransom note begins with a profuse apology and a statement about how poor the kidnappers are, and how they know that the rich family can more than support forking over a few bucks for the return of the kidnapped person.
Culturally, most Chinese distrust the police services and usually always do a backdoor deal. Most of the time, they treat as business and not something personal. This is another reason why our own police forces have a hard time stamping out corruption in the various cities’ Chinatown districts.
Tony
Money IS GOD. Iraqis kidnapping rich Iraqis (and a few foreigners) for ransom, S. America-style: all just part of the crimewave as the country “transitions to democracy”
From the article: "Over the past year or more, hundreds of Iraqis – doctors, surgeons and prominent businessmen – have been kidnapped by criminal gangs who demand ransoms of up to $100,000.
Now, with so many easily-identifiable foreigners in Iraq, criminals appear to have branched out, targeting more lucrative Westerners and foreign workers as well as locals.
Kadhim estimates that about 90 percent of the kidnappings in Iraq are carried out by criminal gangs, who then trade the captives on to militant Islamic groups and other factions.
“If the criminals don’t get their money within 72 hours or so, they sell them up the chain to other groups,” said a British security consultant who has been operating in Iraq for a year.
“There’s vast amounts of money being paid, whether it’s by companies, families or governments. It’s a very, very good business,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Working in the kidnappers’ favour is Iraq’s security disarray, along with everyone’s preference for secrecy.
“Iraq is in chaos, it’s a very murky environment, which suits criminals down to the ground,” said the consultant. “Also, the people paying the ransom don’t want publicity and nor do the criminals, so everything is clandestine and nothing gets out.”