$2 Million Ransom Paid For Hostages
Al Jazeera’s report of $20 million is ridiculous, since the Taliban have long been on record of only asking for just under $10 million. And the Koreans had already offered $500K, and refused to budge for a week, so $2m sounds like just about where this negotian would’ve ended up. I’m sure the Koreans didn’t just decide to pay a “thank you” bonus. But that’s Al Jazeera, doing all they can to bring glory to terrorists around the world.
Times Of India:
TOKYO: South Korea paid two million dollars to Taliban extremists in Afghanistan to secure the release of 19 hostages, a Japanese newspaper reported on Friday.
Citing unidentified sources in Afghanistan, the respected Asahi Shimbun said Afghan mediators persuaded South Korea’s ambassador in Kabul that there was no other way to end the six-week kidnap ordeal.
“Two million dollars were paid to release all 19 people,” an Afghan mediator was quoted as telling the influential Japanese daily.
The Asahi Shimbun said both a South Korean official and a Taliban spokesman contacted by the newspaper denied any payment.
The Taliban, who earlier killed two of the hostages, freed the 19 Christian aid workers this week after South Korea promised to withdraw its military from Afghanistan as planned and ban missionary groups from the Islamic country.
South Korean officials have not commented on whether a payment was made to any party to help secure the release.
Asked about the Asahi report, a presidential spokesman said on Friday that there had been no discussions with the Taliban apart from those on the troop withdrawal and the missionary issue.
The foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Canada have criticised South Korea for negotiating directly with the insurgents, saying it could embolden them.
The Taliban had initially demanded the release of captured fighters from Afghan jails in return for the hostages’ lives, but the government in Kabul refused.
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nothing should have been offered… in fact 2m should have been given to our troops as reward for killing the extremists.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:47 pmThat is just so wrong. . . 2 mil to the Taliban so they
can kill more innocent people and our troops.
“The foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Canada have criticised South Korea for negotiating directly with the insurgents, saying it could embolden them.”
it could?
Call it what it is - open season with no limits.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:46 pmI agree with both of you. Fund the source of the problem
August 31st, 2007 at 7:05 pmNever negotiate with terrorists. It’s a sign of weakness and they’ll do it again to someone else…and ask for more in return, the next time. The only negotiation with terrorist should be at the report end of an M-16.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pmDan(The Infidel)
The only negotiation with terrorist should be at the report end of an M-16.
I could not agree more.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:32 pmThey won’t get to spend it. Their day of reckoning comes.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:29 pmIt should be at the report end of an M-14. 7.62×51mm NATO for the win.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:54 pm