‘Umdat al-Salik, a manual of Islamic jurisprudence certified by Al-Azhar University in Cairo (the most respected authority in Sunni Islam) as conforming “to the practice and faith of the orthodox Sunni community,” lays out four options for hostages: “When an adult male is taken captive, the caliph considers the interests … (of Islam and the Muslims) and decides between the prisoner’s death, slavery, release without paying anything, or ransoming himself in exchange for money or for a Muslim captive held by the enemy” (o9.14).
“Al Qaeda calls for foreign kidnappings in Afghanistan,” from Reuters, September 17 (thanks to Block Ness):
SYDNEY: A senior Al Qaeda official has called on the Taliban to kidnap foreign civilians in Afghanistan to force US-led forces to negotiate prisoner exchanges, a former Australian police counterterrorism analyst said.
The directive has been issued by veteran Al Qaeda adviser Mustafa Hamid, also known as Abu Walid al Masri, and stems from the US detentions in Guantanamo Bay, Leah Farrall told Reuters on Wednesday….