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| Afghanistan | ||
| Talibs say journalist handed to Afghan elders | ||
| 2007-03-19 | ||
| Afghanistan’s Taliban said Sunday it had handed an Italian journalist whom it captured two weeks ago and threatened to kill to tribal elders pending a final deal for his release. A senior Afghan intelligence official said on condition of anonymity that the government had agreed to free two Taliban in exchange for correspondent Daniele Mastrogiacomo but the negotiations were not over. In Rome Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said authorities had been “working since dawn” to secure the release of Mastrogiacomo, 52, captured March 4 with two Afghan colleagues in the province of Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. The Taliban had set a deadline of Monday evening. A Taliban spokesman, Yousuf Ahmadi, said Mastrogiacomo and his Afghan translator were handed to the elders in Helmand after authorities agreed to free a one-time Taliban spokesman and an information chief. But the Taliban also wanted back a third man another former spokesman, Mohammad Hanif, arrested in October in Afghanistan. “If Hanif is not released, we’ll take back the journalists... Once Hanif is released, the elders can take the Italian anywhere he wishes to go we’ll let him go,” he said. The intelligence official said that ex-Taliban spokesman Latif Hakimi and information chief Ustad Yasar had been moved from Kabul to the Helmand capital, Lashkar Gah, for a likely exchange. “Right now they’re negotiating a mechanism for the exchange,” he said. The Helmand security chief, Isau Khan, said the Italian was expected to be freed in days. “I’m aware that he was supposed to be freed within one or two days. But I’m not aware at this point if he has been freed. The negotiations have been very successful,” he said. Presidential spokesman Karim Rahimi would not confirm any exchange of captives was planned but said from Germany, where he was with President Hamid Karzai: “The government will use any possible means to secure his release.” The Italian prime minister spoke with Karzai Sunday about the kidnapping, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported. “There is little that can be done today,” Prodi told reporters later. “We have been working since dawn, and we are continuing now.” UPDATE: Kabul, 19 March. (AKI) - Kidnapped Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo was set free Monday by his Taliban captors after being held hostage for 15 days, the Italian government confirmed on Monday. Mastrogiacomo, who works for the Rome daily La Repubblica was seized on 5 March by Taliban fighters while on a reporting trip in the restive province of Helmand. He is currently at the hospital in Lashkar Gah of the aid group Emergency, which helped negotiate his release, and is in a good condition. Mastrogiacomo's interpreter is also reported to be safe. His driver was killed by the Taliban last week.
Sources privy to the clandestine deal told Pajhwok Afghan News the hostage had been handed over to the Italian officials in the Hazarjuft district. Confirming the release of the Italian journalist, Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah said the hostage was set free in exchange for the release of five Taliban prisoners. He said the Taliban leaders released in exchange for the Italian journalist included Ustad Yasir, Mufti Latifullah Hakimi (former Taliban spokesman), Mansoor Ahmad (Dadullah's brother) and two commanders Hamdullah and Abdul Ghaffar.
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| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #1 Nice. That oughta stop these kidnappings cold. Although this is Dadullah. I might wanna wait for a more official word. You probably sound much more like an Islamic hero if you say you swapped him for 5 Jihadi warrior pussies rather then a couple of million bucks. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-03-19 12:54 |