Comments on: British hostage killed by al-Qaeda

By: Shikwa

Shikwa — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:58:09 +0000

I’m no expert, but I don’t think kidnapping involves particularly high overheads. My point being, I don’t think that a group’s decision to continue kidnapping people is necessary reliant on any monies they might receive. Also, these guys were not mercenaries in the way that South American groups sometimes take hostages because they’re cash strapped.

Of course I’m not suggesting that Qatada should have been released. In fact, what I’m saying is that I’m not even sure Houriya is right in her analysis that no ransom was paid in this circumstance. We probably did pay. They killed him anyway. The point underlying that is – I don’t think we equivocate morally in front of terrorists if we sometimes throw a bit of cash their way to get one of our citizens released. And isn’t that the point you were making in your original post?

By: P.B.L.B.

P.B.L.B. — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:45:01 +0000

@Shikwa – I’d be interested to see more facts on this, although as you say, they are often fairly hard to come by. On the presumption that you aren’t suggesting we actually give in to their demands to release certain prisoners, are you saying we should just give them the money to let them kidnap somebody else?

By: Shikwa

Shikwa — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:42:10 +0000

@PBLB,

I disagree with you on this one. Governments, companies and news organisations almost always pay ransoms when their people get taken hostage. We don’t hear about it very often, but its done a lot – particularly by the Foreign Office. It’s like the old adage often trotted out by governments that they don’t talk to terrorists while, of course, we all know they’re sat around a table somewhere in the Hindu Kush talking about how to resolve things.

I think what’s really interesting here is that this is the third or fourth time we’ve had foreign terrorist groups take hostages in order to call for the release of Abu Qatada. It underscores just what a big player he really was in the global jihadist movement.

By: Houriya

Houriya — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:45:09 +0000

Yes I agree with you P.B.L.B. But at the same time its sad knowing that the other two hostages were relased after ransom was paid to secure their release, and Dyer was killed.

By: P.B.L.B.

P.B.L.B. — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:24:35 +0000

Paying ransom just ends up enabling these groups to kidnap more people in the future, and gives them a sense of legitimacy.

Not that it’s a particularly nice moral choice to have to make, but capitulation is a dangerous road to go down.