Thirty Journalists Reported To Be Held Hostage By Afghans

Guardian UK ^ | 10/22/2001

[Merovingian]

Thirty foreign journalists are reportedly being held hostage by Afghan tribesmen.

Reports say they entered the country and crossed over to Taliban lines where they were captured north of Kabul.

The group is believed to include British reporters.

The unconfirmed report comes from the Pakistan Observer. The Foreign Office says it has no reports of any British nationals missing in Afghanistan.

The group secretly entered Afghanistan from Uzbekistan to cover the military action by the US, the paper says.

It says they were captured by the tribesmen at Ostana village.

It says the journalists are from India, US, Britain, Germany, Russia, Bulgaria, France and West Asia.

The tribesmen are demanding one thousand dollars as ransom to release them.

A large number of journalists are covering the war from areas controlled by the Northern Alliance.

[cajungirl]

Well now. If they will take Hillary we can trade even steven. I'll bet their very own mommas won't chip in to get them out. Perhaps we can put the UN on this, it will take them three or four years to strike a deal.

[umbra]

Maybe we can get Mike Myers as 'Dr. Evil' to negiotiate with the Taliban for the ink stained wretches.

[Les_Miserables]

1000$, Sorry I'm tapped out right now. Check back after Rahmadan.

[sokit2mebb]

Awwww, what a shame. I feel their pain. LOL They can keep them all. Just another reason for the world to hate the Taliban.

[Movemout]

If they are CNN then they are in good hands.

[Movemout]

If they are CNN then they are in good hands.

[LADY J]

Let's make a deal!! If we can trust you to KEEP them - we'll send more!!!

[randog]

A large number of journalists are covering the war from areas controlled by the Northern Alliance.

Perhaps that US air attack on the NA wasn't an accident after all.

[B4Ranch]

I praying that Reuters makes up the majority of the 30. Maybe , just maybe they'll change "alledged " to "confirmed" terrorists in their future reporting.

[Merovingian]

WAS ist fruede???

[Brookhaven]

The ransom note also included this statement:

All Your Journalist Are Belong To Us!

[airedale]

If you remember the Ethics in America series show about the media and the military it was expressed position by Mike Wallace and others that they were reporters first and citizens second. Also that if they went with the enemy of the US which was going to ambush Americans they would go along to record the event and would not and should not warn the Americans. Tom Brokow said he'd warn the American troops but Wallace went after him for it. In the end Brokow said he wished he could do what Wallace suggested since it was right from a journalistic standpoint, but he couldn't.

These journalist should be treated as journalist first and they are on their own.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Judging from the replies so far...rather than send them money, maybe we should send them copies of The Ransom of Red Chief, and see if they change their minds....

[Political Junkie Too]

You mean the Afghans didn't get the memo that they are journalists first and nationalists second?

-PJ

[LoneGOPinCT]

Candidates for a Darwin Award?

[SLB]

I could only hope the names: Rather, Jennings and Borkaw are among them.

[ZULU]

What do they want to keep them hostage and not return them? Will they capture anymore? How much do they want from us? We should pay anything they want to keep them prisoners there!

[LaineyDee]

Are any of these journalists in the clique that said they wouldn't tip off the U.S. Military of an ambush in lieu of a "scoop"? They knew the risks.....they took them. I guess they got their "scoop" firsthand.

[No Truce With Kings]

Judging from the replies so far...rather than send them money, maybe we should send them copies of The Ransom of Red Chief. . .

Ya beat me to it. That was my first thought, too.

[1Old Pro]

The tribesmen are demanding one thousand dollars as ransom to release them.

So the network bosses should overnight the 1000 bucks and be done with it.