[sinanju]

There have been too many examples of leftist “journalists,” “diplomats” and “tourists” in recent years, in places like Colombia, Peru and Iraq who get themselves “kidnapped” by guerrillas and handed back for princely ransoms and concessions for me to assume these people are not in cahoots with the Iranians.

Does anyone remember this incident back in 2000 when Gaddafi’s Libya managed to get a bunch of their citizens somehow captured by the Islamist Abu Sayyaf guerrillas in far off Philippines and paid a princely sum for their return? Did anyone besides me smell something funny about that?

[darkwing104]

Susanne Osthoff, the German archaeologist kidnapped in Iraq in 2005. Who was later released for ransom while concealing the ransom money paid for her safe return. I admit that incident has crossed my mind in regards to this trio.

Until something develops to prove otherwise it would be safe to blame the hikers for their own lack of good judgment.