'$45m paid to Iraq kidnappers'

[ECH1969]

France, Germany and Italy paid about $45 million to obtain the release of hostages kidnapped in Iraq, despite denying it in public, a British newspaper reports.

Britain has not handed out any money to kidnap gangs, the paper said on Monday, basing its report on "documents seen by The Times".

The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments and say that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives, the paper said.

According to the report, France paid out a combined $25 million for the release of Georges Malbrunot in December 2004 and Florence Aubenas in June 2005. Italy handed over $11 million for the freedom of Simona Pari, Simona Torretta and Giuliana Sgrena in 2004 and 2005. Germany was said to have given kidnappers $8 million to secure the release of three hostages, including Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, who were freed earlier this month.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/803F85C8-4DDD-4F9E-8AC0-0E41F995BDCF.htm

[951-Riverside]

1. ...I'm going to assume they didnt pay cash

so where did they deposit the funds to?

[merwin]

2. 45 million buys a lot of weapons.

[countmyvote4real]

3. If only they'd have...

Not resolved to join the coalition of the willingly compromised in the first place. And yes a few did object, a few came to their senses, and even fewer countries remain to support the GWB false invasion of Iraq debacle.

It’s yet it's still smart to travel abroad as a Canadian.

[Brundle_Fly]

4. just come on up an

become one of us Canucks.

or FIGHT BACK, for your country!

[evermind]

5. The Times' story is at:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2191229,00.html

FRANCE, Italy and Germany sanctioned the payment of $45 million in deals to free nine hostages abducted in Iraq, according to documents seen by The Times.

All three governments have publicly denied paying ransom money. But according to the documents, held by security officials in Baghdad who have played a crucial role in hostage negotiations, sums from $2.5 million to $10 million per person have been paid over the past 21 months. Among those said to have received cash ransoms was the gang responsible for seizing British hostages including Kenneth Bigley, the murdered Liverpool engineer.

The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments, arguing that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives.

“In theory we stand together in not rewarding kidnappers, but in practice it seems some administrations have parted with cash and so it puts other foreign nationals at risk from gangs who are confident that some governments do pay,” one senior envoy in the Iraqi capital said.

...