Posted on 05/05/2007 2:22:56 AM PDT by Cincinna
KABUL, May 5, 2007 (AFP)
- The Taliban said Saturday it would decide the fate of a French hostage and three Afghans captured a month ago after the results of the presidential election in France.
The extremist group had earlier set a deadline of Saturday for an agreement on the withdrawal of French troops or the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages.
A spokesman for the militants told AFP they would now wait until after the results of Sunday's French election to decide the fate of the hostages.
The winning candidate is likely to be known by the time polls close at 1800 GMT, which is 10:30 pm in Afghanistan.
"For the sake of the French nation who have asked for the Taliban's mercy we have extended the deadline for the French hostage and the Afghans until the end of the French elections," spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP by telephone.
Ahmadi gave no precise time.
Terre d'Enfance (A World For Our Children) aid worker Eric Damfreville and three Afghans working with him were captured in southwestern Afghanistan on April 3.
A Frenchwoman abducted with them, Celine Cordelier, was released last Saturday when the Taliban extended by a week the deadline for its demands to be met saying it was aware the French nation was "busy" with the election.
If its demands were not met, a council of elders would decide on the fate of the four, Ahmadi said last week. Asked if they could be killed, Ahmadi said the group's policy was "clear."
The militants have executed several Turks and Indians, but they have claimed responsibility for only one killing of a western hostage, a British engineer in 2005.
Ahmadi told AFP Friday there had been no negotiations for the four men.
"The deadline is drawing closer every moment," he said. "The French government and the Afghan government not only have not accepted our demands, but they even have not tried to contact us."
President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday however that his government was doing what it could. "We are in close coordination with France, we are doing everything in that regard," he told reporters.
The French foreign ministry said in Paris Friday "we consider that all useful and possible contacts must be made" in the case.
The Afghan government was heavily criticised last month when it freed five Taliban prisoners in exchange for an Italian journalist captured by the militants.
It was a one-off deal that would never be repeated, the government said afterwards.
Less than a week after the Italian was freed, a medical team that included Afghan doctors and nurses was captured in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban has said it has demanded certain prisoners in exchange for the five.
Cordelier, the French woman released on Saturday last week, met the international media hours afterwards her freeing to deliver a Taliban message that France's 1,000 troops must leave Afghanistan.
"Eric came, like me, to Afghanistan as a friend," Cordelier added in an appeal to the extremists who had held her for 24 days.
"Hashim, Rasoul and Azrat are Afghans. They are Muslims, they are their brothers. They have children who are waiting for them.
"I have told them before leaving that my freedom is nothing without theirs. Release them."
The Taliban was in government between 1996-2001 when it famously carried out brutal punishments, including stonings, for perceived infringements of the ultra-conservative Islamic code of behaviour.
The group is today waging an insurgency against Karzai's government that has grown steadily and is supported by the Al-Qaeda terror network.
This is a direct threat to the people of France. The Talibunnies are demanding that they elect Royal or the hostages will be killed.
How are the people of France going to react to this threat?
This is a war. In war there are casualties.
The Taliban said Saturday it would decide the fate of a French hostage and three Afghans captured a month ago after the results of the presidential election in France.I think this will make it a Sarko landslide. :')
I think the Democrats are well aware of the potential damage, but they think they can head off a castrophe once they are in power. They are stupidly and intentionally putting our nation at more risk, in order to get that power.
I have a link posted on another thread. to a song that reflects my opinion, so I won't post my thoughts on the matter, here. I'll let the song speak for me.
The Socialist Royal has already said that if Sarkozy is elected, that the “youths” will riot and cause other mayhem.
I’m looking forward to it.
Watching Sarky deal with the mayhem, that is.
"Religious war", seems to be yet a little extreme, so we'll piddle around until we realize that this is a war between life and death of humans ... all humans ... all of God's creation !!!
On the big board we argue against the socialist 'political solution' but, outside of nuking the Middle East, and actually using arms against the general Islamic population throughout the world ... there's not a lot we can do.
America forgot her founder and Christ and must, I'm sorry to say/think reap what we've (allowed to be) sown.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Not bad advice/directive in a humanly impossible position.
I’m afraid Sarkozy will end up being just like the rest of the European elites...having an appeasement attitudes towards their Muslim population.
The Chirac government has already secured the release of Celine, the woman from the same humanitarian group, who was held hostage since the Summer, and released this week.
My guess is that Sarko will do what the French have always done, negotiate the release of these innocent hostages, and then act.
I guess I must've missed when they've done that part.
These hostages are members of a humanitarian group that was working to help children in Afghanistan. They are not military.
Maybe there's hope. Sarko's only half-French. His father was from Hungary.
Taliban for Royal?
Don’t you love these sour cranks who pyss on everything before it (or he/she) even gets a chance to prove itself?
Still, anyone going into a war zone must recognize the consequences that may occur and the danger they have chose to put themselves into.
God be with these hostages, but IMHO, there will be more if AQ/Taliban and their lot start controlling European governments with their ominous declarations.
BRAVO....very well put!
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