PHILIPPINE SHAKEDOWN STALLS AMERICAN HOSTAGE RELEASE

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES ^ | March 29, 2002 | Thomas H. Lipscomb

[Clodia Pulcher]

"Three million dollars in ransom funds have been sitting in banks on Basilan Island in the Philippines for over a week while officials of the Philippine Armed Forces, President Gloria Arroyo's Malacangang Palace, and Abu Sayaaf terrorist kidnappers haggle over how to split it up between them.

The funds were raised privately in the United States to pay off the ransom of American missionaries Martin and Grace Burnham and others held only a few miles away from the bank that holds the key to their release."

[Clodia Pulcher]

Our "allies" the Phillipines... turn what Muhammed Ali might have called "the thrilla in Manila" into "rope a dope."

[caisson71]

The US is making a BIG, HUGE mistake with this ransome money. They've opened the flood gates to every little money grabbing terrorist = criminal group in the world. Americans now have a huge target on their backs, especially overseas.

[Free the USA]

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