Article

2017-01-12 Afghanistan

Kidnapped professors beg Trump to negotiate release in Taliban video

[Guardian] An American and an Australian professor who were kidnapped in Kabul five months ago have pleaded with US president-elect Donald Trump to help secure their release in a video released by the Taliban.

The video, uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday and apparently filmed on 1 January, is the first public sign of life of the two teachers since their abduction.

Kevin King, 60, an American, and Timothy John Weeks, 48, an Australian, were violently kidnapped on 7 August outside the campus of the American University of Afghanistan where they both taught.

In the 13-minute video, the pair ‐ who are are visibly distraught and occasionally break into sobs ‐ beg the American government to negotiate with their captors. The Taliban appear to have demanded the release of several "soldiers" in exchange for the professors.

"If we stay here for much longer, we will be killed. I don’t want to die here," Weeks says in the video.

There was no indication of where the video had been filmed but it seemed timed to coincide with the current US presidential transition.

Posted by Besoeker 2017-01-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [14 views ] Top

#1 It coincided with a trump rally. Obama was still "in-charge" Said nothing of it.

Posted by newc 2017-01-12 01:36|| 2017-01-12 01:36|| Front Page Top

#2 "If we stay here for much longer, we will be killed."

I reckon they'd be smart to put their affairs in order.

Posted by Besoeker 2017-01-12 01:42|| 2017-01-12 01:42|| Front Page Top

#3 "I don’t want to die here,"

To ape Archie Bunker - 'would you feel better if you was tossed out of a window'?

Posted by Raj 2017-01-12 01:46|| 2017-01-12 01:46|| Front Page Top

#4 This is on Obama, it happened during his watch.

Trump has nothing to do with this! I'm thinking this is the Taliban trying to bait Trump.

Posted by Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-01-12 07:48|| 2017-01-12 07:48|| Front Page Top

#5 Ya think?

Posted by Pappy 2017-01-12 09:00|| 2017-01-12 09:00|| Front Page Top

#6 This can be a defining moment for the hard red line.

No rendition will be popular.

Posted by Skidmark 2017-01-12 09:45|| 2017-01-12 09:45|| Front Page Top

#7 Offer to not nuke mecca in exchange.

Posted by Silentbrick 2017-01-12 12:47|| 2017-01-12 12:47|| Front Page Top

#8 Substitute Islamabad for Mecca, and it'd be more relevant.

Posted by Pappy 2017-01-12 12:59|| 2017-01-12 12:59|| Front Page Top

#9 Since they say they are going to be killed anyway, just offer to bomb the crap out of their hidy hole if the hostages are still there in 10 days.

Posted by rammer 2017-01-12 21:56|| 2017-01-12 21:56|| Front Page Top

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