[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, exactly MizSterious. These Italians are working from the same template as the three Japanese "hostages" (as it came out later they were not 'aid workers and journalists' per say, but were on anti-American visits to Iraq), staged their own kidnappings, were released to say good things about their treatment, and how even MORE committed they were to the evil the Americans were doing in Iraq.

This happened about year ago.

Freepers will like the fact that about 75% of Japanese told them to get out of their face, to go ______ up a rope, when the "hostages" did get back to Japan. They were also fined by the conservative Government of Japan for the costs they incurred, and the three have since kept their anti-US, pro-Communist, pro-Islamofascist mouths SHUT! :-)

[MizSterious]

So far, it seems to be playing a bit better in Italy than it did in Japan--and, of course, in a lot of the US "mainstream" media.