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State Department Rejects Demands by Journalists' Kidnappers
Ap via Fox news ^ | Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Posted on 08/23/2006 9:13:12 PM PDT by Semper911

WASHINGTON — The State Department rejected on Wednesday demands by a Palestinian group for the release of all Muslim prisoners in U.S. prisons in exchange for the release of two kidnapped Fox News journalists.

"We don't make concessions to terrorists, and we continue to call for the release of these journalists without conditions," State Department press officer Gonzalo Gallegos said.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: centanni; foxnews; gaza; globaljihad; holyjihad; holyjihadbrigades; hostages; jihad; jihadbrigades; statedept; terrorism; terrorists
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To: Semper911

"No one will be there to report on the "plight" of the Palis."

And no one will be there to report what Israel is doing.

That's a good thing.


21 posted on 08/24/2006 6:45:45 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz ("If you liked what Liberal Leadership did for Israel, you'll LOVE what it can do for America!")
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To: EQAndyBuzz
And no one will be there to report what Israel is doing.

Funny thing is that I almost posted that, but then I knew someone else would!

22 posted on 08/24/2006 7:25:33 AM PDT by Semper911 ("We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it." -Marge Simpson)
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To: Semper911

Dear God, please lead us to Steve and Olaf so they may be freed and their captors punished. Hold them safely in the palm of Your hand until we can find them.


23 posted on 08/24/2006 7:28:58 AM PDT by McGavin999 (God watch over the young lions of Israel as they fight Hell's Bullies)
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To: McGavin999; PureSolace; rwfromkansas; lainie; af_vet_rr; CindyDawg; jackv; msmagoo54; ...

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1329211,00.html

World

What's Really Driving the Fox News KidnappingDespite their demand for a prisoner release exchange, the previously unknown Gaza captors may well be more interested in striking a blow against Palestinian leaders than Israel or the U.S.

By JAMIL HAMAD AND TIM MCGIRK/JERUSALEM

Posted Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006

As vague as it was, the demand put forth Wednesday by a previously unknown Palestinian militant group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades who claimed to be behind the August 14 capture of two Fox News crewmen in Gaza appeared to be just part of yet another anti-Western kidnapping. In a videotape showing the two journalists — Steve Centanni, 60, a U.S. citizen, and Olaf Wiig, 36, a New Zealand cameraman — their captors demanded that in return for their release the U.S. should free an unspecified number of Muslim prisoners from its jails. But Palestinian security sources tell TIME that the conditions presented Wednesday are little more than a stall tactic, and that the seizure of the two men has much more to do with internal Palestinian and Islamic militant politics than with striking a blow against Israel and the U.S.

The Palestinian security sources told TIME that Holy Jihad Brigades is made up of gunmen who belonged to one of the many armed groups that splintered apart from the late Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement. Arafat's weak and distracted successor, Mahmoud Abbas, has failed to rein them in, and they now operate inside the West Bank territories and Gaza as lawless vigilantes. Some are still on the payroll of Gaza's Preventive Security Police, a fiefdom of the Fatah's bosses. Suspicion has fallen on three groups in particular — Al Nasser Salaheddin, Abu Reesh Brigade, Abu Rees Brigade, and a spin-off of al Qasa Brigades based in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, near where the TV crew was captured at gunpoint. These security sources say that most likely, the Holy Jihad Brigades was created for the sole purpose of carrying out this kidnapping.

The true motivation behind the kidnapping, say these security sources, was to discredit both Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority — who rashly told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he could free the pair of journalists swiftly — and Ismael Haniyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, whose Hamas-led government has tried to crack down on Fatah splinter groups' roaming death squads and extortion rackets in Gaza.

In addition, the Holy Jihad Brigades is hoping that by staging a high-publicity kidnapping of foreigners, they may attract the largess of the Lebanese militia group, Hizballah. In recent months, say Israeli intelligence officials, Hizballah has started to bankroll a wide array of Palestinian groups in Gaza and the West Bank in their battle against Israeli forces, and the Brigades may be hoping to join this lucrative club.

That agenda, of course, may complicate any efforts to free the two men. The U.S. State Department says it will not bend to the brigades' demands that Muslim convicts be freed within 72 hours in a swap for the two journalists. But Fox officials and U.S. diplomats are hoping the deadline will be extended.

The kidnappers have not yet appointed a go-between to conduct negotiations, and in the meantime, Abbas has left Gaza for Jordan, essentially severing his involvement in efforts to free the hostages. Fox officials said they were heartened by the video, in which the two captives said they were well fed and "treated well'. Says Fox News's Jennifer Griffin, "I think it's important to point out that Olaf and Steve went to Gaza on their own accord. They chose to be in Gaza. They chose to cover the Palestinian perspective."

Still, now that Abbas has walked away from the crisis, the challenge for Fox officials is finding someone, in the midst of Gaza's chaos, who might have clout with the kidnappers. Meanwhile, some other lawless gangs in Gaza may have become inspired by the Brigades' capture. The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem issued warnings on Wednesday for all U.S. and British journalists to stay out of Gaza, since they too could be stalked by kidnappers.


24 posted on 08/24/2006 11:41:20 AM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
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To: pissant; Sam Hill

TIM MCGIRK

TIME Magazine Haditha "reporter".

*spit*


25 posted on 08/24/2006 11:46:54 AM PDT by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta

I'd like to rip that quislings throat out.


26 posted on 08/24/2006 11:48:40 AM PDT by pissant
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To: pissant

Seems his "sources" are always terrorists.
Any fallout from what he's reported could get Centanni and Wiig killed.
I hope he considered that before throwing them to the lions as he did the Haditha Marines.


27 posted on 08/24/2006 11:52:10 AM PDT by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta

He doesn't care if they die. He's obviously on the terrorists side and needs to meet a viscious end.


28 posted on 08/24/2006 11:53:20 AM PDT by pissant
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To: Velveeta
FNN should make a counter offer to pay a "ransom". It's worth a try..

sw

29 posted on 08/24/2006 11:57:14 AM PDT by spectre (Spectre's wife)
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To: pissant

I say we trade him for the FOX reporters.


30 posted on 08/24/2006 11:58:25 AM PDT by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta

They already own him, so they won't go for it.


31 posted on 08/24/2006 11:59:14 AM PDT by pissant
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To: spectre

I don't know about ransom because it creates a vicious circle.

However - whatever FNN can do to obtain their release - I'll pray for their success.


32 posted on 08/24/2006 12:02:23 PM PDT by Velveeta
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To: pissant

~sigh~ True enough.


33 posted on 08/24/2006 12:02:49 PM PDT by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta
It's common knowledge people are usually kidnapped in that part of the country and held for ransom. It's paid, and they are released.

THIS is different tho. It might be a way for the kidnappers to "save face" OR they could just pretend like it's an "insult" and reject it.

I just don't feel these two men saw the light of another day after they made that video :( Their demands were never going to be met, and they knew it. So it's all moot.

sw

34 posted on 08/24/2006 12:23:17 PM PDT by spectre (Spectre's wife)
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To: spectre

No, no, no, no....don't give up.
Pray.


35 posted on 08/24/2006 2:51:27 PM PDT by Velveeta
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To: Velveeta

"I say we trade him for the FOX reporters."

Ahhh, the voice of reason. I like your idea.


36 posted on 08/24/2006 5:41:22 PM PDT by mjaneangels@aolcom
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To: Protect the Bill of Rights

That was a good read. Thanks for sending it out.


37 posted on 08/24/2006 5:53:35 PM PDT by Semper911 ("We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it." -Marge Simpson)
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