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Australia says no to $2 million ransom
The Australian government has ruled out paying a ransom to have adventurer Warren Rodwell released from his kidnappers in the Philippines. Rodwell, 53, has pleaded for his life in a video sent to his Filipina wife and has told her his captors demand a $2 million payment.Mr Rodwell was taken from his home on the southern island of Mindanao on December 5. Human Services Minister Brendan O'Connor today said, "The Australian government has a policy of not providing ransoms, but we are at this point working with the local authorities, our embassy is working with those authorities in Manila and we will be working hard to ensure Mr Rodwell is released. There's been a policy, a bipartisan policy, of not paying ransoms for many, many years. "Indeed our focus at the moment is really ensuring that we do everything we can to have Mr Rodwell released. That should be our focus, that is our focus and the embassy is doing everything it can to ensure that ultimately happens." O'Connor said it was not helpful to discuss Rodwell's case in the media, but said Australian officials would deal with the case in a "manner that's professional and dedicated". It is thought the video was made a week after Rodwell was taken by gunmen and then sent to his wife as proof that her husband was still alive.
Posted by: ryuge 2012-01-05 |
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| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=336558 |