US reporter's kidnap a mistake; ransom paid: Iraqi insurgent (Carroll)

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - An Iraqi businessman linked to Saddam Hussein told a US television network the kidnapping of US journalist Jill Carroll was a mistake and a ransom was paid for her release.

Sheikh Sattam al-Gaood, a middleman behind Carroll's release on March 30 and self-proclaimed insurgency leader, told ABC News in an exclusive interview how her release was arranged and why he supports the insurgency in Iraq.

"They are defending their country," he said in an interview at his summer house outside Amman, Jordan. "They are an honest resistance. And sometimes they do mistakes."

One of those mistakes was kidnapping Carroll, a 28-year-old freelance journalist mainly working for The Christian Science Monitor, Gaood said.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060413/wl_mideast_afp/usiraqhostagekidnapmedia

[habitual]

1. Ummmmm NO

Everyone knows the * administration doesn't negotiate with fellow terrorists.

[merwin]

2. They were very careful to say when she got released that no American paid

any ransom for her release.

But they said nothing about British, or Iraqi, etc.

[daleo]

3. I wonder if a ransom was paid for the Christian Peacekeepers

I have a hunch that will eventually be revealed too. That's probably why they were alone in the house when they were "rescued".

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Here's some sneaky wording for you

The editor of The Christian Science Monitor said Wednesday he was unaware of any ransom paid by anyone.

"While we are grateful for the efforts made by so many people to obtain Jill's release, as of today, with the information we have, neither The Christian Science Monitor nor Jill's family is aware of any evidence to support that claim," Richard Bergenheim said in a statement.

He did not say he was unaware of any ransom paid by anyone. He said he was unaware of any evidence that would support the claim. These are two different things indeed. I now have no doubt that ransom was paid for Ms. Carroll.

[daleo]

5. Good catch

In other words "as far as we know, nobody can prove it".

[slay]

6. Interesting

I'm not surprised - that's how it works - you pay or they die. It's easy to say "we don't negotiate with terrorists" when you're some half-brained idiot in the white house, but how about if it was your son, daughter, mother or father? Ugh.. we shouldn't even be over there. :(