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Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Palestinian group claims Gaza kidnapping of Fox journalists
GAZA CITY - A previously unknown Palestinian group Wednesday claimed last week's kidnapping of two journalists from the US television channel Fox News and demanded that Washington free Muslim prisoners held in the United States within 72 hours.
The Holy Jihad Brigades claimed the August 14 kidnapping in a statement released in Gaza and showed a video of the two reporters, US national Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig from New Zealand.
"We will give you an offer that we will not repeat," said the group in a statement. "Free detained Muslims in the United States in exchange for the release of the detainees in our hands."
"We will give you one chance that will not be repeated -- the liberation of Muslims detained in American prisons in exchange for the detainees in our hands," it said.
"We give you a deadline of 72 hours starting from today at noon to decide," the statement said, addressing the US. "If you satisfy our condition, we will keep our promise."
The statement did not say what it would do if its conditions were not met.
The video released with the statement showed the two journalists, dressed in tracksuits, saying in English that they were in good health and asking their governments to do everything to secure their release.
The two were snatched by gunmen in Gaza City and until Wednesday there had been no news on their whereabouts or who was holding them.
Palestinian group claims Gaza kidnapping of Fox journalists
GAZA CITY - A previously unknown Palestinian group Wednesday claimed last week's kidnapping of two journalists from the US television channel Fox News and demanded that Washington free Muslim prisoners held in the United States within 72 hours.
The Holy Jihad Brigades claimed the August 14 kidnapping in a statement released in Gaza and showed a video of the two reporters, US national Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig from New Zealand.
"We will give you an offer that we will not repeat," said the group in a statement. "Free detained Muslims in the United States in exchange for the release of the detainees in our hands."
"We will give you one chance that will not be repeated -- the liberation of Muslims detained in American prisons in exchange for the detainees in our hands," it said.
"We give you a deadline of 72 hours starting from today at noon to decide," the statement said, addressing the US. "If you satisfy our condition, we will keep our promise."
The statement did not say what it would do if its conditions were not met.
The video released with the statement showed the two journalists, dressed in tracksuits, saying in English that they were in good health and asking their governments to do everything to secure their release.
The two were snatched by gunmen in Gaza City and until Wednesday there had been no news on their whereabouts or who was holding them.
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