Posted on 09/29/2004 11:54:34 AM PDT by rface
ROME – Euphoria still lingers in the air after the triumphant homecoming of two Italian aid workers held hostage in Iraq. But concern intensified Wednesday that by saving the "two Simonas," Italy may have inspired a whole new phase of kidnapping in Iraq, sending a message to criminal gangs that western hostages are worth millions of dollars.
Amid reports that at least $1 million was paid for the release of Simona Pari and Simona Parretta after 21 days of agonizing negotiations with their captors, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said only that the government made "a very difficult choice."
But Gustavo Selva, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee, confirmed that the two women were saved by cash. "The lives of the girls was the most important thing," Mr. Selva said in an interview with France's RTL radio.
"In principle, we shouldn't give in to blackmail but this time we had to, although it's a dangerous path to take because, obviously, it could encourage others to take hostages, either for political reasons or for criminal reasons," he said.
Italy had dismissed paying to release the women during the 21-day kidnapping and refused to withdraw its 2,700 troops from Iraq. Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has sharply denied that any ransom was paid. But reports of a ransom first emerged from a credible Kuwait newspaper, Al-Rai Al-Amm.
Italy's media grappled with the dangerous implications of paying a ransom.
"[The Italian aid workers] did honest humanitarian work and ended up being unwitting collection plates," the conservative newspaper Il Foglio said in a comment headlined, "Let's Not Celebrate."
"That is called ransom and it will fuel the arms trade and recruitment for the war against peace and democracy in that part of the world," Il Foglio said.
But the center-left daily La Repubblica said a "ransom was paid and that is nothing to be ashamed of" in a front page report.
Wednesday, both aid workers emerged smiling outside their homes to thank those who had negotiated their release. They said they had been continually blindfolded and did not know where they had been held or by whom.
Suspicion grew that the women, unlike many of the other 130 hostages being held in Iraq, had been captured purely for cash since their captors did not make them broadcast pleas to their government to save their lives.
The Arabic-speaking women said Wednesday they had been treated with utmost respect and rarely feared for their lives. Their kidnappers gave them sweets, cakes, and several English language copies of the Koran by their captors. Colleagues said they even appeared to have put on weight.
Ms. Parretta said she believed her captors were a religious, nonpolitical group, probably Sunni muslims.
Most Italians continued to express relief after a night in which flowers were thrown, car horns honked, and peace flags were flown around the country.
"So we paid," said a business woman in Rome. "If we hadn't ... the girls would have come in pieces inside a box."
Good news - it was 1 million lire = $5.53
Glad that the young women are home safe, but I feel sorry for the ordeals that other innocents are going to face over this.
All that for a million dollars. What a deal!
I am happy that the women are safe. But you have just given $1 million, to terrorists that they will now use to purchase weapons to fight coalition forces. Thanks a lot Italy.
To me, this isn't a complicated concept. Maybe I'm missing something.
To me, this isn't a complicated concept. Maybe I'm missing something.
One thing I have noticed is that aid agencies (usually run by well meaning but confused lefties) are very quick to pull their staff out of areas where they may be threatened, but don't seem to be doing so in Iraq.
Funny that.
One thing I have noticed is that aid agencies (usually run by well meaning but confused lefties) are very quick to pull their staff out of areas where they may be threatened, but don't seem to be doing so in Iraq.
Funny that.
One thing I have noticed is that aid agencies (usually run by well meaning but confused lefties) are very quick to pull their staff out of areas where they may be threatened, but don't seem to be doing so in Iraq.
Funny that.
Bloody hell!
Triplicate!
How'd that happen?
Maybe I should have continued the pattern and posted mine four times.
If it had been two men, there's no doubt I would have given Italy the "appeasing squish" award for paying up.
Damn, it's harder when it's girls. Something viscerally different about that.
But yeah (grits teeth) you lost it Italy, you appeasing squishes.
No civilians are allowed in Iraq unless they, their government, or their employer first posts a $1 million bond -- to be used to pay their ransom in the event they are kidnapped. Anyone who goes to Iraq without posting this bond is on his/her own.
Problem solved.
Dey'll takes care uh da problem.
A thought....The Simonas were kidnapped soley for ransom money that is why they sat around with books, ate cakes and hung out. They knew Italy would pay up. Maybe 'somebody' is running low on finances....hmmmmm...
It must have been an agonizing choice. I fear they chose poorly.
Italy stands side by side with the U.S. in Iraq, being the second largest military contingent after Britain. They lost four dead (male) citizens in their last hostage crisis, and didn't back down or offer money for them. I'm sure they understand the full ramifiacations of this hostage for money exchange and agonized over it before going ahead. I think they did the right thing. And I don't think that they'll pay for any furture hostages that might occur, because those hostages would be men. Women just don't belong in a war zone like Iraq anyway, and Italy just found out why.
Many have left or refused to even go in.
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