Posted on 12/30/2005 3:45:26 AM PST by familyop
A Palestinian police chief has vowed to find three kidnapped Britons and says he will use force if necessary.
But police chief Alaa Hosni said there had been no contact with the unknown group responsible for abducting Kate Burton, 24, and her parents in Gaza.
Palestinian militant groups have condemned the kidnap of the British human rights worker and her parents.
Roadblocks are in place around Rafah where the Britons were taken and house-to-house inquiries continue.
The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Hamas - both responsible for suicide bombings in Israel - have called for the release of Ms Burton and her parents Hugh and Helen, known as Win.
And Mr Hosni was reported by the Associated Press agency as saying: "Those who have them have not yet made any demands and have not yet announced who they are.
"These are enemies to the Palestinian people. We will get them. If we have to use force we will."
Mr Hosni was further quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "Until now we do not know who was behind this act. There have been no negotiations with the kidnappers as we do not know who they are and they have not declared themselves.
"The police and the security services are doing their best to discover who are the perpetrators of this act, people who do not even have the courage to make themselves known."
In a statement, a masked fighter from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade said the kidnapping "harms the resistance effort".
Hamas also called for the Burtons' release, while Palestinians demonstrated to vent their anger.
Analysts say kidnappings of Westerners in Gaza usually end with the hostages released quickly and unharmed.
Gunmen stage the abductions to attract attention, embarrass the Palestinian authorities, or raise money.
A former adviser to the Palestinian Authority, Diana Bhutto, told BBC News: "What is strange in this case is that this is the first situation of which there hasn't been contact by the kidnappers themselves to the Palestinian Authority either demanding jobs or placing other demands.
"And it's the first time that it's lasted more than 24 hours.
"That said, having lived here for a long period of time this is a relatively safe place and I'm hoping that the Burtons are released without harm."
There has been anger over the deteriorating security situation in Gaza, with 100 police officers demonstrating at the border crossing with Egypt at Rafah to protest against the killing of an officer.
Kate Burton's family described her as "a warm and loving person" who works as a volunteer in the Middle East.
In a statement on Thursday, the Burton family said: "We are a close family and are naturally deeply concerned about our parents and sister.
"Kate is a warm and loving person and has been working as a volunteer in Gaza for the past year trying to do what she can to help the situation there.
"We are grateful for the help and messages of support that we are receiving."
It is understood that Ms Burton, who speaks Arabic, as well as fluent French and Spanish, was showing her parents around Rafah, near the border with Egypt, when the kidnappers struck.
Michaela Meeraus, 22, from Oxford, a friend of Ms Burton's from university, told the BBC she was a passionate person who had an interest in the fate of the Palestinians.
Ms Burton had studied Hebrew and Arabic and her interest in the region had been fuelled by a stay in a kibbutz, she said.
"She is a very genuine, honest, person," Ms Meeraus said, "always really interested in meeting people - speaking several languages and having lots of international friends.
"The fact that she speaks Arabic and is with her parents probably comforts her a little bit."
It is understood Ms Burton had left her job with the UN in Gaza after it pulled all non-essential staff out because of the threat of kidnapping.
She continued to work in the area at the al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights as an "international co-ordinator".
are these new Rachel Corrie's??
It looks that way.
will it be on PPV?? I think the terrorists are remiss not to take advantage of this opportunity to make some real money =o)
...except that they were kidnapped by their terrorist friends instead of hiding behind rubble in front of a bulldozer.
Its long past time that we meet the jihad with jihad... Sooner or later even the leftist freaks are going to understand that this war is a war against a truly evil force.
This will continue until
'gang territories' are settled.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.