The Islamic jihadists know that this kind of action cuts right to the heart of the free world’s dilemma. If Western leaders ignore the jihadist demands for ransom, they will be condemning the priest. But if they negotiate with the jihadists and pay them a healthy ransom, they are ensuring that there will be many more such kidnappings in the future.
“Negotiations ongoing for Italian Jesuit’s release in Syria,” from ANSA, April 21 (thanks to all who sent this in):
(ANSA) – Beirut, April 21 – Negotiations have been ongoing at various levels in Syria and outside the country for the liberation of Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, an Italian Jesuit priest who went missing in the north of the country in July, for several months, ANSA sources said Monday. The sources close to the negotiations, who asked to remain anonymous, said that “there was comforting news about Dall’Oglio being alive” two weeks ago.
But they also stressed that “there can be no certainty about this, given the difficulty in penetrating the organisation that is keeping him prisoner”. The sources added that Dall’Oglio is being held in northern Syria by a branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), an al-Qaeda-linked group led by fighters from Iraq and other countries. The Italian foreign ministry said Monday that it was maintaining “maximum confidentiality” about the case.
Lynn says
Pray for this man and the people in whose hands he’s held. These people are using his as war fodder. He is nothing to them. Obama needs to understand right now that Americans will no longer tolerate his muzzie favoring inaction and go after this man and his kidnapers.
Salah says
“Obama needs to understand right now that Americans will no longer tolerate his muzzie favoring inaction..”
It’s time for the American people to do just that. Obama and his gang need to be brought to justice and, if (or rather When) convicted of high treason, the whole gang must be executed.
They should do the same in the E.U.
bonnie lornager says
Dear Salah, you are right . The people must act and get rid of this corrupt pro Islamic government. I am a catholic Christian and I will not pray for these demons. We should bomb the hell out of them with drones. We had the opportunity a few days ago, when they where assembling in Yemen in the open but this corrupt government instead gives them guns and bullets.
mortimer says
Obama’s whitewashing of the Muslim Brotherhood is the source of the perception that he is easy to manipulate. Hostage taking for ransom is normative jihad. It pays for the jihad.
Larry A. Singleton says
The only response to these acts of terror and those like Benghazi are to let the jihadist know that they will pay dearly for their actions. And then follow up those promises with actions to the 10th power.
duh_swami says
Another name for ransom is extortion. Paying the ransom, does not always guarantee the return of the kidnapped. This priest may already be dead. I would hope not, but kidnap for ransom does not always have a happy ending.
Hannelore Valine says
Robert Spencer is right that if “they negotiate with the jihadists and pay them a healthy ransom, they are ensuring that there will be many more such kidnappings in the future”.
But in my opinion it is up to Italy to take the proper action. Obama and the US have nothing to do with it.
Fr. Basil says
I will say here what I have said to all my friends.
If I am captured by mahometans, do NOT negotiate for my ransom. Nor are any reports that I have converted to mahometanism to be believed.
The only condition for my freedom acceptable is that I will be released safe, sound, and unhurt without any payment for me.
Bettina says
Although I’ve grown skeptical of NPR Radio and the liberalism it represents — with its antipathy toward Israel’s right to exist and its purposeful black-out of Islam’s misogyny and its worldwide evils — I sometimes lend an ear.
I wasn’t disappointed when NPR reported that the islamic state of iraq and syria, aka isis, has become rich not only by kidnapping, oil smuggling and donations from sympathizers, but also by running complex and murderous “protection” rackets on merchants, pharmacies, and any small or larger business they choose to extort.
“Charles Lister of the Brookings Institution in Doha, Qatar, says Iraqi intelligence sources estimate that extremist militants take in more than $1 million a month in extortion from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.”
For more detail, please see:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/04/21/304542370/for-extremists-in-syria-extortion-brings-piles-of-cash-from-iraq
Gloria Stewart says
There was for a while the belief that Father Dall’Oglio had been murdered by his captors after he was first kidnapped.
He embarked on a speaking tour in the Los Angeles area in the summer of 2012. There he expressed his total sympathy for the rebel groups attacking the Assad regime and his great love and devotion to Islam. It is almost unheard of for some one who is not a Muslim to speak so highly of the faith.
EYESOPEN says
Sounds to me like a severe case of “Stockholm Syndrome”.
Mirren10 says
In that case, I have zero sympathy. He got exactly what he deserved.
Bettina says
Gloria, your comment about this priest’s “great love and devotion to Islam,” shocking to us as it is, should have ensured his safe passage throughout that mass of thugs.
gravenimage says
Bettina wrote:
Gloria, your comment about this priest’s “great love and devotion to Islam,” shocking to us as it is, should have ensured his safe passage throughout that mass of thugs.
………………………………
It wouldn’t though, Bettina. The history of Islam is full of incidents where the most craven of apologists and enablers of Islam have been abducted by Muslims.
They are still regarded as nothing but “filthy Infidels.
Sometimes the dhimmis themselves have been shocked, but we should not be. This is normative Islam.