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.

[anniegetyourgun]

How 'bout we just trade 'em for the Berkeley City Council?

[Cuttnhorse]

I suspect that after a few days of listening to a bunch of whiney, pain-in-the-patootie journalists, the Afghans will toss them back over the border.

[Merovingian]

I'm sure that the majority of these hostile posts are really joking...How would these news junkies get their fix if the journalists were not there. I especially appreciate the risks the likes of Steve Harrigan and others are willing to take in order to provide us with the latest.

Sure, no one is twisting their arms, and they might even have motivations which are less than altruistic, but still it is dangerous work.

As I stated earlier, I am not even sure this report is even true.....as I have seen it NOWHERE else in media news.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Not just journalists, but anchors + Andy Rooney!

Drop 'em from cargo planes like the PC k-rations we've been dropping. 'Course make sure you don't hit a camel on the head, the PETA crowd'll get their panties in a knot.

[100%FEDUP]

Members of the media FREELY and WILLINGLY put themselves into these positions all the time and for what, more face time on camera, a better gig down the road or to forward an agenda? It certainly isn't to seek the truth, because they haven't done that for the last 8 years!

A good friend of mine is a reporter and I asked him if he would go if asked.
His answer was, "In a heartbeat!"
As good of a friend as he is to me, I see ABSOLUTELY NO reason to put yourself in harm's way for a story.

As much as I hate to say this, if you choose to play russian roulette I have no pity for you.

What really gets me is most media people are asked to do this by higher-ups who are safely out of the line of fire. And will NEVER EVER put THEMSELVES into these situations, but they know they have fools who will do it "in a heartbeat!"
It is usually blind ambition that drives journalists to make irrational decisions for the sake of "getting the big scoop!"

Let's face it the idea of journalists who are compelled to seek out the TRUTH will serve a better service to humanity doing so at home. Maybe then days like 9/11 could be avoided!

[100%FEDUP]

"...and if Al Jazeer broadcast these journalists being tortured, the response in this forum would be..???"

Pass the popcorn please!

[MistyCA]

LMAO! That is too funny!

[Merovingian]

Sure, no one is twisting their arms, and they might even have motivations which are less than altruistic, but still it is dangerous work.

Dear Fed, As you see above, I was trying to be subtle. Of course most if not all human actions are selfish. Even many 'charitible' acts are done in order to prove one's unselfishness or generosity!!!! See how GOOD I am..."There is no charity without surplus"..in other words, people only 'donate', or give money that is EXTRA...True charity would be where sacrifice is involved on the part of the giver...LOL

[jackbill]

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

Is that $1,000 for the whole bunch? That's a bit steep for these media scum.

Perhaps someone should tell these tribesmen that Usama bin Laden is worth $5 million. They could buy the whole country for that.

[Elenya]

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

Dream on...

[jackbill]

"schadenfreude"

I've been experiencing a lot of that lately.

[Hank Rearden]

Is one of them Shepard Smith? Hoping, hoping, hoping . . . . . .

They'd be welcome to keep him, to pass around to the Tali boys.

[mostlyundecided]

Gasp!!! Chelsea just happened to be taking a walk north of Kabul!!! Do you think she was one of the ones captured?

[mostlyundecided]

All Your Journalist Are Belong To Us!

LOL!

[airedale]

If you watched the DOD press conference this morning you probably heard and saw the woman ask why the reporters should believe the military about anything. She couched it with words like with all due respect but that was really the question she was asking. She BTW wasn’t satisfied with his answer. They treat our side in ways they would never treat the other side. First the other side wouldn't stand for it and may even make the reporter uncomfortable by ripping out their tongue or tossing them in prison. Secondly in terms of the history of American journalism as modified by the Viet Nam war a good journalist totally distrust the US government and accepts blindly the other side and the views of advocates that are different than the administrations provided they are the views from the left.

[Movemout]

Maybe we should refer to these captured reporters as alleged reporters.

[SurferDoc]

And this is a problem because...?