Free Republic

DUBAI - The militant Palestinian group which kidnapped and freed two Fox News Channel journalists last month vowed on Saturday to target all non-Muslims who enter the Palestinian territories. In a statement posted on the Internet, the Holy Jihad Brigades said all non-Muslim foreigners it captures could face death unless they convert to Islam or Muslim prisoners be freed in exchange for their release. “God ordered that we fight all infidels as they fight us all ... the blood of any infidel who comes to the land of Palestine has no sanctity,” said the group, unknown before the journalists’ kidnapping....

Excerpt - The two Fox News employees kidnapped in the Gaza Strip recently are being held by one of Fatah's militias, Palestinian Authority security sources and Hamas activists told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. On Wednesday, a hitherto unknown group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades claimed responsibility for the abduction and demanded that Muslim prisoners in US jails be freed within 72 hours. The kidnappers released a video showing correspondent Steve Centanni of Washington DC and cameraman Olaf Wiig of New Zealand dressed in training suits and sitting cross-legged on the floor inside a dark apartment. ~ snip ~...

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.

Gaza group claims kidnapping of Fox journalists Wed Aug 23, 2006 08:58 AM ET GAZA (Reuters) - A previously unknown militant group in Gaza claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the kidnapping nine days ago of two Fox journalists and demanded the United States release "Muslim prisoners" within 72 hours. "Release what you have, and we will release what we have," the Holy Jihad Brigades said in a fax sent to reporters.