« Marines to Order Thousands of Troops Back to Active Duty | Main | Asking for it: why terrorism vs. Fox-TV is not news »
August 23, 2006
Breaking: Gaza group claims kidnapping of Fox journalists
Topics: Terrorism
[HT - Digger's Realm for the image]
See "possibly related" at bottom of post - Is this an Iraq - associated al-Qaeda group previously known to be operating in Gaza?
In breaking news just making its way over Fox News cable:
GAZA (Reuters) - A previously unknown militant group in Gaza claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the kidnapping nine days ago of two Fox journalists and demanded the United States release "Muslim prisoners" within 72 hours.More as available..."Release what you have, and we will release what we have," the Holy Jihad Brigades said in a fax sent to reporters.
Fox correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig were abducted by masked gunmen in Gaza City on Aug 14 as they were working on a story.
This does not look good. It sounds like they are making a demand that the terrorists know will not be met. More often than not, when such demands are made, the hostages have not faired well - not at all.
CNN has a little more information.
Related: Kidnapping signals rising threat in Gaza.
Possibly related: Sounds like the Holy Jihad Brigades could have a relationship to the Islamic Jihad Brigades operating out of Iraq, which is an al-Qaeda operation???
... a second Internet notice was signed the "Jihad Brigades of the Border Districts," another name for al Qaeda-Palestine. It was a transparent effort to ascertain that Israelis and Palestinians alike were apprised of the new organization in the Gaza Strip. ... The third warning appeared on August 16. By then, the Israel army and police had begun evicting Israelis from the Gaza Strip. This four-page missive consisted of a list of oaths of allegiance sworn by the Jihadist Brigades in the Border Districts (Palestine) to the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, who is termed "Emir of the Faithful and Head of the Islamic Caliphate."Let's say I'm not buying the "just another group" story we keep hearing about on Fox. This is smelling and sounding more and more like an al-Qaeda operation and possibly one moved in from Iraq or Afghanistan. These are not nice guys, and we're likely to see that they mean 72 hours when they say, 72 hours. The full message sounds eeringly vague, as though they know the answer already, and already know what they are going to do - something none of us want to even consider at this point.The three messages reveal a carefully calibrated al Qaeda operation of four steps, designed to parellel the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.
There is serious danger here!
Update: Rusty at Jawa Report has the same take:
The Palestinian terror group that has taken Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig belongs to the cult of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. (Iraq) They have given the 72 hours notice. If their demands are not met, they will be murdered.Hot Air has video...
Other coverage:
Diggers Realm has info with additional links.
Ace hints at possibly suspecting al-Qaeda.
Also see Mary Katharine Ham
Posted by Richard at August 23, 2006 10:20 AM
Articles Related to Terrorism:
- Breaking: Gaza group claims kidnapping of Fox journalists - Aug 23, 2006
