__Kratos__ Posted May 4, 2006 #1 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Two German hostages kidnapped in Iraq arrived home yesterday as Iraq's ambassador to Germany claimed a "load of money" had been paid to secure their release. Alaa al-Hashimi, said the German government had handed over a "large amount" to the kidnappers of René Bräunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, who were freed on Tuesday after 99 days in captivity. "Regarding the payment of ransom, I don't know. But I assume it was a large amount of money," the ambassador told Germany's ARD public television station. The Iraqi government had no part in the release, he said. The claim is likely to provoke fresh debate over whether western governments should pay for the release of hostages or refuse to negotiate with kidnappers - the official policy of Britain and the US. Italy and France are believed to have paid million-dollar sums for the release of kidnapped nationals. Two British hostages, Margaret Hassan and Ken Bigley, were executed by their captors. Mr Bräunlich, 32, and Mr Nitzschke, 28, arrived at Tegel airport in Berlin yesterday looking pale and exhausted but apparently unharmed. "We are very happy to be alive. It was something we didn't take for granted," said Mr Bräunlich. He thanked the German government for getting him out, adding: "We are happy to be here again. We had a difficult time." The engineers, from Leipzig in east Germany, were seized on January 24 outside their workplace, an Iraqi-owned detergent factory in the industrial town of Baiji, 110 miles north of Baghdad. German officials swiftly established that their captors were not holding them for political reasons. Instead they wanted to make money, diplomats said. Asked yesterday whether Germany had paid a ransom, the foreign minister, Franz-Walter Steinmeier, said: "We will of course say nothing about the concrete details regarding their release." He thanked the US, Britain, France and "other partners in the region" for helping to get the men out after three months in "inhuman conditions". Although the release is a success for Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, who last night held talks with the US president, George Bush, in Washington, there are questions about the wisdom of paying large ransoms to Iraqi gangs. Yesterday, Rolfeckhard Giermann, who spent five years in Baghdad as east Germany's trade attache, said it was a signal to potential kidnappers "that you can earn good money with German hostages". He told the Sächsische Zeitung newspaper: "This simply strengthens Iraq's kidnapping industry." When the men were taken hostage, there was speculation that Germans were being targeted because Berlin, unlike Washington or London, had a habit of paying ransoms. Their kidnapping came a month after Susanne Osthoff, a German woman working in Iraq, was freed from captivity. German diplomats admitted the government paid $5m (£2.7m) for her release. High-profile examples include a case in 2003 when at least €5m (£3.4m) was paid to secure the release of 14 tourists kidnapped in the Sahara desert. The release is good news for Mr Steinmeier, who has emerged as a skilled crisis manager since he became foreign minister in November. More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Most foreign hostages have been released. But 55 foreign hostages have been reported executed by their Iraqi captors - 41 in 2004, 13 last year, and one so far this year. Source ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope this isn't true. With that kind of money thousands more could potentially die compared to two people dying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watzel Posted May 4, 2006 #2 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I hope it was a check that bounces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 4, 2006 Author #3 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I hope it was a check that bounces. Terrorists normally like cold, hard cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 4, 2006 #4 Share Posted May 4, 2006 why is this a bad thing exactly, they just just saved two peoples lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffybunny Posted May 4, 2006 #5 Share Posted May 4, 2006 why is this a bad thing exactly, they just just saved two peoples lives. Because it is confirmation that germany will pay cash for captives, which makes it an open market to find germans, or anyone who may be german. Once you give in one time to these kinds of demands it just opens up a can of worms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celumnaz Posted May 4, 2006 #6 Share Posted May 4, 2006 that and now they have more $ to buy more stuff to do more of that kind of thing, no? get a German it's payday, buy a few more grenades or something or other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingTomis Posted May 4, 2006 #7 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Exactly. While I was very happy to hear they had been released unharmed for the most part, now just to save those 2 men's lives, pretty much every German citizen overseas is going to be in danger of getting kidnapped. How many American or British people are kidnapped and have "terrorists" demand removal of troops from Iraq recently? None, because they dont pay out to terrorists. Some men died which is very sad indeed, yet once the terrorists realized they weren't going to get payed or see the removal of troops they stopped kidnapping Americans and British. All this means is that there is more money on the streets to buy whatever death dealing devices can be bought, and now Germans might as well have a big money symbol over their heads while in Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reincarnated Posted May 4, 2006 #8 Share Posted May 4, 2006 damn, what criminals! paying for the release of hostages!!?? they should do what the good ol' USA does, let those evil hostages die! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinash_Tyagi Posted May 4, 2006 #9 Share Posted May 4, 2006 How many American or British people are kidnapped and have "terrorists" demand removal of troops from Iraq recently? None, because they dont pay out to terrorists. Exactly that's why they get beheaded, those darn Germans wanting their people back alive... no, wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 4, 2006 Author #10 Share Posted May 4, 2006 damn, what criminals! paying for the release of hostages!!?? they should do what the good ol' USA does, let those evil hostages die! Ignorance isn't bliss you know... For 2 hostages, 5 million paid to terrorists. Now let's look at how many weapons, IED's built, training, bribes and recruiting can be done with a mere 5 million bucks. The potential damage with them having this new cash is a lot of dead people. Do you think over a thousand people dead are worth 2 hostages? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 4, 2006 #11 Share Posted May 4, 2006 It is a sad situation, but you can't continue to set yourself up as a victim. If you do they win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 4, 2006 #12 Share Posted May 4, 2006 hmmm i wonder why germany has never been targeted for a terrorist attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted May 5, 2006 #13 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Germany is a corrupt country with anti-americansim all over it. Apparently USA is full of mass killers and Germans were peaceful through thier whole existance. This doesn't really surprise me. Germany should make a policy to not negotiate with terroist ever again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingTomis Posted May 5, 2006 #14 Share Posted May 5, 2006 hmmm i wonder why germany has never been targeted for a terrorist attack. Seeing as your name is "PLO" it really doesnt suprise me that you would want to terrorists to win. In war, casualties happen, you dont cave in to terrorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 5, 2006 #15 Share Posted May 5, 2006 "In war, casualties happen, you dont cave in to terrorists" Yeah but see the thing is germany is avoiding casualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 5, 2006 Author #16 Share Posted May 5, 2006 "In war, casualties happen, you dont cave in to terrorists" Yeah but see the thing is germany is avoiding casualities. Oh really? I guess that ransom money won't be used for terrorism but rather a massive tea party, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 5, 2006 #17 Share Posted May 5, 2006 against germany?, probably not no. Again you dont seem to be understanding, germany doesnt seem to ever get targeted with Islamic anti western sentiment, why do you think that is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingTomis Posted May 5, 2006 #18 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Because most terrorists on thier "jihad" arent all that bright. They know they are supposed to hate America, Israel, ohh wait, I means USrael, and sometimes England. See, they didn't really go to world geography and dont know much more than "Me kill American, me get 70 dark eyed virgins. everlasting orgasms for me". Seeing as they dont even know Germany exists, they arent going to plan an attack against it. And yes, that was a joke, but I would LOOOVEEE to hear your idea on the subject PLO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 5, 2006 #19 Share Posted May 5, 2006 (edited) i think its probably to do with the fact muslims make up about 14% of the germany population. and the fact they dont get treated like second class citizens with all these peculiar laws designed to subjugate them. Lol it;d be funny too see how many americans could point out Syria on a map with no names on it. even Iran for that matter. Edited May 5, 2006 by PLO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinash_Tyagi Posted May 5, 2006 #20 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Wow this is turning into a flame war fast Look Germany acted in what they consider their own best interest, the US does the same so I can't balme them for wanting their people back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 5, 2006 Author #21 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Wow this is turning into a flame war fast Look Germany acted in what they consider their own best interest, the US does the same so I can't balme them for wanting their people back. The US doesn't pay ransom for terrorists, unless it's paid in little bits of lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinash_Tyagi Posted May 5, 2006 #22 Share Posted May 5, 2006 The US doesn't pay ransom for terrorists, unless it's paid in little bits of lead. No but we do other things whether or not other countries agree with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 5, 2006 Author #23 Share Posted May 5, 2006 No but we do other things whether or not other countries agree with us. Uh huh. While the Germans also have a policy not to negotiate with terrorists. So now Germany is disagreeing with it's self if this is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLO Posted May 5, 2006 #24 Share Posted May 5, 2006 "The US doesn't pay ransom for terrorists, unless it's paid in little bits of lead" exactly, America only supplies weapons, money and training to terrorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avinash_Tyagi Posted May 5, 2006 #25 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Uh huh. While the Germans also have a policy not to negotiate with terrorists. So now Germany is disagreeing with it's self if this is true. Policy changes, heck we used to have a policy of no torture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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