Posted on 08/27/2006 2:59:20 AM PDT by Hannibal Hamlin
Kidnapped Fox reporters "convert to Islam" on video
Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:20 AM EDT
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
GAZA (Reuters) - Two kidnapped journalists for the American Fox News Channel appeared on a new videotape released by their captors on Sunday in the Gaza Strip, saying they had converted to Islam.
Palestinian Interior Minister Saeed Seyam said efforts were under way to secure the release of Fox correspondent Steve Centanni, a 60-year-old American, and New Zealand-born cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, within hours.
Both journalists appeared to be in good health in the new video. They were seized on August 14 by a previously unknown group called the Holy Jihad Brigades.
The two men were shown separately sitting cross-legged, reading statements announcing that they had converted to Islam. At times in the video they were wearing long Muslim robes.
"I changed my name to Khaled. I have embraced Islam and say the word Allah," Centanni said.
Wiig called on leaders of the West to stop "hiding behind the 'I don't negotiate with terrorists' myth."
Interior Minister Seyam of the governing militant movement Hamas expressed optimism the ordeal for the two reporters would soon be over.
"Efforts are under way with several parties to secure their release within the coming hours," he told Reuters.
The Holy Jihad Brigades claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the kidnapping and had warned the United States to free Muslim prisoners to prevent the captives facing unspecified consequences. The deadline expired on Saturday.
The United States has said it will not make "concessions to terrorists."
A separate statement from the captors said: "They chose Islam and that is a gift that God gives those whom he chooses."
A videotape released on Wednesday showed the two men, dressed in tracksuits, sitting on a blanket in front of a black background. They appeared fairly relaxed and in good health. Both said that they were fine and being treated well.
The kidnapping is the longest-lasting abduction of foreigners in the Palestinian coastal strip in more than a year.
The Hamas-led government has called for the men to be freed while several prominent militant groups in Gaza have denied involvement and also said the men should be freed.
Previous kidnappings of foreigners have usually ended after a few hours, or at most a few days, of captivity.
No, no, don't waste your good money on that piece of crap.
Just do as I have done...go to the CAIR website and request a copy of the koran (it's not worthy of capitalization) and they will willingly send you one for free.
And I do mean free.
No shipping, no handling.
I've gotten three out of them so far, with a request for a fourth submitted and I've had several associates do the same.
I don't know what they cost to print, (and I don't care, either), but they are big and thick and heavy, so even using media mail, they're still fairly expensive for CAIR to procure and ship out.
The more I can cost that bunch of outlaw islamanazis, the better.
See my tagline for instructions on the use of them after they are received.
A warning though: The paper is fairly good quality, but really is too rough for wiping one's...uh, spills and, uh, you know, whatever.
Childish activity, I know, but it provides me with a certain amount of glee and any time I can put a bunch of islamanazis in even a small amount of angst, I'll do so.
If they claimed publicly to have converted to Islam, any sign that they are not following Islam will brand them apostates – and incur the death penalty from Muslims.
Sort of off topic--but only by a bit: In World War 2, many Chinese Christians, Christian missionaries, and even Japanese Christians were martyred (real martyrs) for Christianity by the Japanese Empire.
Does the article state what relgion these two had before their capture? They could simply have been atheists--not too far a stretch for journalists--and so they would readily adopt another religion to stay alive.
So if they're now Muslims - why are they being held?
How long?The devil will have worn out his second pair of ice skates before they print that part of the story.
As long as they didn't have to have sex with a goat to prove their devotion to islam I guess it's OK , anyone might have claimed the same thing simply to be released .
Islam is a religion which should be stopped--not by genocide--but forcibly if necessary.
they are out.
For your tagline: any physical baptism, infant or adult, does not make or break a Christian. Christians are saved by what Christ has done, not what they have done.
They can't publically recant without being subject to a fatwa issued by the local imam wherever they are....
You sir, rock!
Yea I was thinking that too. As an atheist I wouldn't have any reservations against reading what I percieved as a sci-fi script if it meant I could get free.
"You'll never guess what happened to me last night! I was reading the koran like you guys always tell me to do and suddenly I saw a "vision" of our might overlord..I mean god. Well that's me converted guys! Can I go home now?"
You're thinking in western terms.
Mohammedens don't.
But now if they recant, they will punishable under Shariah law by death...
They're just angling for spots at CNN and Reuters.
I and my family want to convert to Islam. However, we have no contacts with whom to study. Have someone freepmail me. Seriously.
And if they merely pretended to, will their kidnappers feel cheated? Angry? Will they take it out on the next hostages? Do Muslims feel that once you convert, you are forever Muslim, and now these 2 have become worse than infidel, as is any Muslim who leaves the faith? Of course, I'm sure the local audience will see only the (shotgun) 'conversion' and nothing else.
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