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FRENCH SEIZED IN IRAQ


Talon
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NO WORD ON HOSTAGES

There has been no word on the fate of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq.

A deadline given by the militants holding the pair passed yesterday evening.

They are demanding the French government revoke a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools.

The ban comes into effect today.

There has been confusion over the deadline imposed by the group holding Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot.

An Arab League official said he believed the deadline had been extended by 48 hours - not 24 hours as previously reported.

The two men disappeared on August 20 on their way from Baghdad to Najaf.

Chesnot is a reporter for Radio France Internationale and Malbrunot writes for the dailies Le Figaro and Ouest France.

French President Jacques Chirac has continued to reject the demand to scrap the law pertaining to headscarves.

The kidnappings have stunned France, which opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq and also objected to pre-war sanctions.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1149666,00.html

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The kidnappings have stunned France

Stuns France? blink.gif Did France think that their actions would appease the terrorists? whistling2.gif ...

Maybe they will wake up now. And BTW Talon, there will always be a family held hostage; it may be yours or mine.

*We must fight the terrorists and our families must fight.*

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And BTW Talon, there will always be a family held hostage; it may be yours or mine.

blink.gif ... yes I'm well aware hostages must be someone's family... thankyou for pointing this out.... apparently I would have never of known otherwise rolleyes.gif

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I apologise if that came of as too sarcastic, but seriously, its kinda obvious

Edited by Talon S.
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The law is making some individuals choose religion over knowledge - Muslim women and Sikh men.

Does the law include private schools? Will this lead to private Muslim and Sikh schools?

Officials contend the Muslim community is becoming increasingly militant and failing to integrate into French society.

If private schools start popping up in France for Muslims and Sikhs I expect there will be even greater fear.

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The law is making some individuals choose religion over knowledge - Muslim women and Sikh men.

If theyr refuse to go to school, arrest the parents.

Does the law include private schools?

no idea, but it should

Will this lead to private Muslim and Sikh schools?

Single faith schools should be made illegal.

Officials contend the Muslim community is becoming increasingly militant and failing to integrate into French society.

If they refuse to intergrate and respect the laws and beleifs of the country that they or their parents choose to move to, then kick them out.

If private schools start popping up in France for Muslims and Sikhs I expect there will be even greater fear.

Which is why they should be illegal.

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Update

HEADSCARF BAN ENFORCED

France has put into force a ban on Muslim headscarves, despite fears for the lives of two French journalists held hostage by Islamic militants in Iraq.

French leaders refused to bow to the kidnappers' demands to scrap the new law banning the scarfs from schools as 12 million pupils began the new academic year.

Few girls wore the traditional headscarf and there were no immediate reports of protests as classes began.

The headscarf was banned along with Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses in a bid to keep religious extremism out of school.

Despite defying the kidnappers' demands by ignoring a deadline that passed on Wednesday, the government hopes diplomacy backed by much of the Arab world will save hostages Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot.

user posted image

Chesnot and Malbrunot

They were seized between Baghdad and Najaf on August 20 by a group called the Islamic Army in Iraq.

"The situation is extremely difficult and the government is doing it utmost to secure the release of our compatriots," French Industry Minister Patrick Devedjian said.

Foreign Minister Michel Barnier is in Amman as part of a Middle East mission that has rallied support from Arab leaders and Pope John Paul.

A French Muslim delegation arrived in Iraq from Amman hoping to contact the kidnappers.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13211235,00.html

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And BTW Talon, there will always be a family held hostage; it may be yours or mine.

blink.gif ... yes I'm well aware hostages must be someone's family... thankyou for pointing this out.... apparently I would have never of known otherwise rolleyes.gif

251908[/snapback]

....not my point. I was alluding to the notion that I think you believe we should back off and appease the terrorists because they have a family member.

If they had my family member, I'd know there is nothing we could do. (And, yes, it would kill me. crying.gif )

Edited by Babs
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....not my point. I was alluding to the notion that I think you believe we should back off and appease the terrorists because they have a family member.

When did I ever say that

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I didn't say you said that. I was alluding to the notion that I 'think you 'believe' that.

I may be wrong. Correct me if I am.

If they had my family member I would know that there is nothing that could be done. (And, yes. it would kill me. crying.gif )

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If they had my family member I would know that there is nothing that could be done.

Well there are things that can be done. We just can't do most of them.

My statement was simply stating that for all the hard line views on not dealing with terrorists we have hear, I simply pointed out that if it was our families we might be on the opposite of the arguement. Never once did I suggest the lives of two individuals was worth the sacrifice of French secular polices, which in fact should be adopted by all civilised nations.

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A question: If it was your family member, what would you do or what arguement would you have? Here in the U.S.A., we don't compromise with terrorists. Do you agree with us?

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A question: If it was your family member, what would you do or what arguement would you have? Here in the U.S.A., we don't compromise with terrorists. Do you agree with us?

Erm we have the same policy here the last time i checked.

ANd we have had wee problem with terrorism for a mere 4 decades. rolleyes.gif

LOL i love the way you lecture us on terrorism babs , as if we as a people have never experienced it.

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Wun, everybody knows that terrorism that occurs outside of the United States doesn't count. for some anyway...

As for the French, they are sticking by their guns on the headscarf/cross/yamulke issue, which is commendable in my opinion. I agree with Talon on this issue.

Folding faster than superman on laundry day? bathory where do you get this stuff from? laugh.gif I just about did a spit take with my morning coffee...

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LOL i never read that by bathory,

BTW the french are about as stboorn as they come, they were VERY stubborn in their opposition to the war, and i seem to remeber a few years ago when they tested nuclear weapons much to the disdain of the world they stck to their guns....literally.

Theyll stick to their guns with this issue.

But its just typical of moslems, the ban covers every religion not just theirs.

They seem to want us to adapt to THEIR culture and not the other way around, the law in france allows this ban and it was out in place befor emuslims arrived in numbers in the country.

It is the FRENCH country and tehy can do whatever they like within reason of course. It is the muslims who should adapt to our culture here.

If we go to a muslim country we have to respect their laws and customs.

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HOPE FOR FRENCH HOSTAGES

Two French journalists held hostage in Iraq have been handed over to a group that is in favour of releasing them, it has been confirmed.

The news came from Jean de Belot, editor of France's Le Figaro. It has since been confirmed by the French Culture and Communications Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres.

De Belot France said the news is positive but added that he will remain cautious until the men are in safe hands.

"The latest information is that Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot have been handed over by the Islamic Army in Iraq to an Iraqi Sunni guerrilla group...an opposition (group) that we know for a few days now has been in favour of the release of the hostages," de Belot said.

Earlier the Muslim Cleric's Association said the two hostages were alive and well.

The delegates from France said they had received proof the men had not been killed.

One member of the delegation added: "We are optimistic and confident that they will be released soon."

The news came on the day French children return to school under a ban on Muslim headscarves in classrooms.

The hostage-takers had demanded France reverse its rules on religious symbols in schools, but the country's government has refused to budge.

Instead, authorities have been hoping diplomacy and the backing of much of the Arab world will save Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot, who were seized between Baghdad and Najaf on August 20 by the Islamic Army in Iraq.

As the school term started in France, few girls wore the traditional headscarf and there were no immediate reports of protests.

The headscarf was banned along with Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses in a bid to keep religious extremism out of school.

"The situation is extremely difficult and the government is doing it utmost to secure the release of our compatriots," French Industry Minister Patrick Devedjian said.

Foreign Minister Michel Barnier is in Amman as part of a Middle East mission that has rallied support from Arab leaders and Pope John Paul.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13211235,00.html

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A question: If it was your family member, what would you do or what arguement would you have? Here in the U.S.A., we don't compromise with terrorists. Do you agree with us?

252353[/snapback]

I was asking Talon that question, personally. I would like to know where your head is Talon.

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Freedom for French journalists hits a glitch    PARIS - The future of two French journalists kidnapped in Iraq has been thrown into doubt after their kidnappers denied giving another group authority to negotiate their release.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/200...sts_040903.html

This part of the arcticle is interesting.......

Winning a release would be a victory for France, which refused kidnappers' demands to revoke a ban on Muslim headscarves in public schools. The crisis has united much of the country's large Muslim population against the kidnappers, including those who opposed the headscarf ban
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I was asking Talon that question, personally. I would like to know where your head is Talon.

On my shoulders rolleyes.gif

NEW FEARS FOR HOSTAGES

The fate of two French journalist kidnapped in Iraq will be announced shortly, the group holding them has said.

And the organisation denied reports it had handed the two men over to a group considered more likely to release them.

"The Islamic Army's legal committee will soon announce its decision. We have not delegated any group or person to negotiate or talk on our behalf," the statement posted on an Islamic website said.

Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot were abducted by the self-styled Islamic Army in Iraq last month.

They were reported to have been handed over to an Iraqi Sunni guerrilla group.

The editor of France's Le Figaro, Jean de Belot, said the opposition group "has been in favour of the release of the hostages".

However, he said he would remain cautious until the men were released.

The latest development came after a French diplomatic drive led by Foreign Minister Michel Barnier and a group of leading French Muslims.

The two journalists disappeared on August 20 on their way from Baghdad to Najaf.

Chesnot is a reporter for Radio France Internationale and Malbrunot writes for the dailies Le Figaro and Ouest France.

Their captors demanded France lift a controversial ban on the Islamic headscarf in state schools.

French President Jacques Chirac has continued to reject the demand.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13211235,00.html

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Just what I thought. Then you don't agree with us. You 'seem' to sympathize with the terrorists. ph34r.gif

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how does he???????

Do you actually read posts or do u just automatically make these wild offensive assumptions ??

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I think he has sympathy on a certain level. I don't know, he won't say. blink.gif Something is going on in his brain; he just comes back with a smart remark. Maybe he has sympathy for a terrorist cause....or 'people' who use terrorism for a cause which he believes in.

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I think he has sympathy on a certain level. I don't know, he won't say. blink.gif  Something is going on in his brain; he just comes back with a smart remark. Maybe he has sympathy for a terrorist cause....or 'people' who use terrorism for a cause which he believes in.

254661[/snapback]

Because Talon doesn't agree with your Bush approved mentality he must be sympathetic towards the terrorists, is what you really want to say, isn't it?

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Because talon does not take an offensively disturbed take on terrorism as you do does not mean he has sympathy for them babs. If you were to take the time to read through his previous posts he has taken a rather stiff stance on terrorism, and terrorists in general.

Perhaps it is simpler for you to consider everyone that is not a Bushite to be a terrorist. What is the name for that...paranoia?

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