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| Islamic Group Shows Tape of U.S. Hostage | ||
| 2004-06-16 | ||
| An Islamic Web site showed videotape Tuesday of a blindfolded American hostage in Saudi Arabia and of abductors threatening to kill him unless Saudi authorities free al-Qaida prisoners within three days. Paul Johnson, 49, of Stafford Township, N.J., was abducted Saturday by a group calling itself al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The organization is believed to be headed by al-Qaida’s chief in the Saudi kingdom, Abdullah-aziz al-Moqrin, who is identified as speaking on the tape. "My name is Paul Marshall Johnson, Jr.," the hostage says in the tape, seated and with an elaborate tattoo showing on his left shoulder. "I am an American. ... I work on Apache helicopters." A U.S. official said the threat should be taken "very seriously" because the posting appeared to be credible and militants have used the site before. "It has been a good indicator in the past," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Web site was posted on the same day Saudi Arabia’s ruling crown prince warned Islamic militants that the kingdom planned to deploy more security forces than they had ever faced before. "Be assured that the kingdom has enough men whom you haven’t seen so far, but within the coming few days you will see them," Crown Prince Abdullah told the militants, whose attacks have increased during the past three months. His remarks were televised. The tape on the Web site, http://www.hostinganime.com/sout18/ , showed a hooded man reading a statement and holding an AK-47 rifle. As the man was reading, a subtitle on the screen identified him as al-Moqrin. His statement was similar to a printed message on the Web site that carried the name of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. It said the group gave Saudi authorities 72 hours — by Friday — to release "mujahadeen" militants or it would kill the hostage. Segments of the tape appeared to have been edited together and showed a blindfolded Johnson sitting in a chair with his profile to the camera.
On Monday, Johnson’s son spoke to reporters about his father’s love of Arabic culture. Paul Johnson III said his father once sent a copy of the Quran to his sister, with passages highlighted from the Islamic holy text that he felt were especially important. "He felt he never had any fear for his safety and respects and honors their traditions and cultures," Johnson III said. "Dad said many times he loved living in Saudi Arabia." It does not matter if you love or hate them, they are going to kill you anyways... | ||
| Posted by:Anonymous4617 |
| #15 Does anyone have a workable plan for ending the violence in the world today? What could the solution possibly be? Would the violence REALLY stop if we beheaded the prisoners in Abu Ghraib? Would it end if the Americans left the middle east altogether? Will it end if the whole world converts to Christianity? to Islam? Unfortunately, I believe that none of these options will bring about an end to the violence. Christians and Muslims fight amongst themselves; if the whole world were converted to one faith or the other, then we would begin to find some fault with another's interpretation of the worldwide faith (as happens today). Seeking revenge is not the answer, nor is seeking unity of faith. I don't know what the answer is, can anyone tell me? |
| Posted by: Anonymous5285 2004-06-19 11:36:13 AM |
| #14 They continue to demonstrate they are animals. Soon, their recruits will realize the futility in their fanatical missions. This is as much about politics to them as it is to anyone. Much like politics in Japan include assasinations, the terrorists use "faith" to fuel power. They are unfortunate in their ignorance of true human nature, for it will prevail. They are few in a world of many. They are dirt, that will be stomped on. |
| Posted by: sassy 2004-06-19 12:00:49 AM |
| #13 They continue to demonstrate they are animals. Soon, their recruits will realize the futility in their fanatical missions. This is as much about politics to them as it is to anyone. Much like politics in Japan include assasinations, the terrorists use "faith" to fuel power. They are unfortunate in their ignorance of true human nature, for it will prevail. They are few in a world of many. They are dirt, that will be stomped on. |
| Posted by: sassy 2004-06-19 12:00:01 AM |
| #12 5268: No. It's not going to work anymore. For some it never worked. I thought maybe that what you seem to think was true, even after 9/11/01, but the more I read, the more I saw, the more I realized the truth. These idiots are on a completely different plain. They're not true men - hell, they're not even men. They're animals. They have no honor. They lie. They use our own inventions and freedoms against us. They couldn't even put together a working toilet on their own, but they believe their culture and religion are superior. They're not just misled, they're seriously deluded. You want to bring religion into this? Fine. They believe in, and worship, Satan. God would never command any of His creations to slaughter with impunity, to kill for the purpose of spreading a religion. Praying that their hearts are transformed is fine, but it ain't gonna help much. You pray while we go and take care of them our way - by kicking their asses until they realize that we won't tolerate that kind of behavior. |
| Posted by: The Doctor 2004-06-18 6:16:59 PM |
| #11 The God of Abraham is the same God of the Muslims and the Christians and the Jews. The Islamic terrorist groups are misled in their thinking. God is the creator of life. He does not want anyone to take another. There is no end in sight when the terrorist continue to wage a war that leads to nothing. Imagine if there was friendship and love between all of us. They would have no purpose or reason to unite. But as a child of God's, I will continue to pray that their hearts will be transformed. Beheading Mr. Johnson did nothing for them. Through the pain we experience through his death, we are united in love and the understanding of the hate and emptiness these terrorists love. They are not true men. What man of honor would hogtie another man and cut off his head while he was defenseless? My heart goes out to the Johnson family. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5268 2004-06-18 6:09:38 PM |
| #10 The saddest thing about this whole ordeal is that the US won't do anything because this happened in SA. We have to let the Saudi's handle it for political purposes, and everyone knows how the quality of their work. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-06-16 8:17:37 PM |
| #9 jules 187 and anonymous---Your sentiments are on the mark. A psychopath is unable to empathize. The only way is to make an action against them that hurts them personally. Then they stop or at least throttle back. Worked for Mo. The action should be chosen that forces them to deal with the mess they made, turns them into pink mist, dust, or whatever is appropriate. You CANNOT play games with them. They do not respond normally. Negotiation is out, that is a gimmie. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-06-16 5:57:29 PM |
| #8 Kudos to Anony-mouse...let's up the ante, though. What are all of these terrorist groups relying on? The old "if you do this, we'll do that" line, which is hogwash--they do what they want irrespective of what we do. We should be exploiting that technique against them (but with reason). Well placed, well thought out acts to damage and destroy the things they value most. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-16 2:31:22 PM |
| #7 I agree with Annony-mouse. Talk to them in the only language they can understand. "On Monday, Johnson’s son spoke to reporters about his father’s love of Arabic culture. Paul Johnson III said his father once sent a copy of the Quran to his sister, with passages highlighted from the Islamic holy text that he felt were especially important. He felt he never had any fear for his safety and respects and honors their traditions and culture . . . " That used to work, and a lot of people still want to believe it. I don't believe it, because it's just plain stupid to believe it. Respect for others' cultures and beliefs comes from the traditions of "infidel" Christians--"respect" for (i.e., fear of) power and brutality comes from Islam, and anything better was simply a cultural carry-over from pre-Islamic times. Thanks Howard UK--absolutely right on the mark. Is the UK waking up at all? |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-06-16 12:56:53 PM |
| #6 Muslims try to wash their hands of these evil barbaric acts, but they cannot, not as long as they teach their children that non-Muslims are dogs and pigs and 'enemies of Allah' in their homes, and their schools and their mosques. You can't listen to the sermon of hate in your mosque on friday and then on saturday act as if Islamic terrorism has nothing to do with you. It wont fly anymore. |
| Posted by: TS(vice girl) 2004-06-16 12:52:30 PM |
| #5 I really wish someone for once would show people like this a true consequence to their actions. If Johnson is killed, dropping the heads alone, from a dozen of their alQ buddies that they want released, on the street in that Suweida district would put a quick stop to any similar kind of hostage taking. |
| Posted by: Anony-mouse 2004-06-16 11:50:28 AM |
| #4 ..and whilst The Muslim Council of Britain decry the shameful treatment of muslim women in the UK (for not being allowed to wear burkas in school) we see the savagery and complicity present in the society which provides the focus for their religion. Sonic - you're damn right with the Pol Pot reference - they're trying to drag us all back to the 7th century. We should get every Westerner out of that shithole before it implodes and go back in when the Princes have been hung Falluja style - only to put a Disney logo on the gates of Mecca. They'd love it. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-06-16 4:44:34 AM |
| #3 Hostage Alone, surrounded, facing death for being who he is God needs for you to die now, Remember Ali Satan America allows me to kill and kill and kill... Cut off head, God wants you to. (Really he does) Dripping blood and chaos is his wish for you and yours What kind of god demands such terror and blood? How could any worship this way? Why? Hostage weak, oh how tough you are, bastard son of... Put your woman in her place, slice off the Zionist crusader American head, then your impotence will cease... Or you will finally meet your martyrdom, dead and silent, Like Lenin or Pol Pot... Worms and the hate you left behind your only comfort... |
| Posted by: sonic 2004-06-16 1:14:16 AM |
| #2 By what I saw it looks like they already had a knife at Johnsons throat. Cut-throats, see their swagger! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-06-16 12:56:50 AM |
| #1 It does not matter if you love or hate them, they are going to kill you anyways... This is precisely what the anti-American/anti-Bush brigades need to get drummed into their thick skulls. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-06-16 12:36:46 AM |