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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Militant Group in Iraq Kidnaps Egyptian Diplomat |
| 2004-07-23 |
| A videotape broadcast on Arabic television channel Al-Jazeera Friday, showed a group of black-clad masked militants standing behind a man identified as diplomat Mohammed Qutb. The group says the abduction is in response to Cairo's willingness to provide Iraq's interim government with security expertise. The Egyptian embassy in Baghdad has confirmed the diplomat's abduction. Meanwhile, efforts are continuing to free seven truck drivers kidnapped by another militant group in Iraq. The militants, threatening to behead the three Kenyans, three Indians and an Egyptian, have issued a new 48-hour deadline to the hostages' Kuwaiti employer. They have also made new demands, including compensation to the families of those killed in clashes with U.S. forces in Fallujah. And Bulgarian officials are continuing to investigate whether a decapitated body discovered Thursday in the Tigris River is that of a second Bulgarian hostage feared killed by militants. Bulgarian officials confirmed Thursday that an earlier headless corpse was that of another missing Bulgarian. These guys have been studying up on Dale Carnegie. |
| Posted by:Mr. Davis |
| #4 ZF: My suspicion is that they'll be rolled up by the second anniversary of the Iraqi campaign. The Russians are going to look really bad by comparison, with their repeated failures in Chechnya. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-07-23 10:55:01 PM |
| #3 The interesting aspect here is that the terrorists are asking for ransom. My conclusion is that they're running short of cash. They're in deep financial trouble now. My suspicion is that they'll be rolled up by the second anniversary of the Iraqi campaign. It's simply amazing how quickly they're running out of cash, amounts I estimated at several billion dollars out of Saddam's treasury. And yet, if you pay 30,000 followers $10,000 a year each, on average, that's $300m a year. That's assuming no graft, of which there is plenty in every Middle Eastern grouping or society. And then you have to get them weapons and ammunition. The terrorists are doomed - they just don't know it yet. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-07-23 10:53:46 PM |
| #2 Hmmmmm. Now they're snatching diplomats in addition to ordinary worker bees. And moslems at that. Are you paying attention, world? Appease them in Iraq, and they'll be demanding you appease them in your own countries, too. Like in the Phillipines. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-07-23 10:06:12 PM |
| #1 Nepelese, Madascaris and Bantu tribemen beware. They're working their way down their list. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-07-23 9:59:27 PM |