Rusty Shackleford has some disturbing news on Steve Centanni & Olaf Wiig. It doesn't happen often, but let's hope Rusty's wrong on this one.
Update - Kim: The Jerusalem Post has this report:
The two Fox News employees kidnapped in the Gaza Strip recently are being held by one of Fatah's militias, Palestinian Authority security sources and Hamas activists told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
On Wednesday, a hitherto unknown group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades claimed responsibility for the abduction and demanded that Muslim prisoners in US jails be freed within 72 hours.[snip]
However, the announcement by the Holy Jihad Brigades surprised most Palestinian factions, especially the Hamas government, which has strongly denied any connection to the abduction.
Fatah leaders in the Gaza Strip have also denied responsibility, saying they did not believe that their followers were holding the two journalists.
But some Hamas activists in Gaza City said they were convinced that one of Fatah's armed groups was holding the two.
"Fatah has many armed groups in the Gaza Strip," said a senior Hamas activist. "Some of these groups operate independently and are not in touch with their political leaders. Our sources have told us that the two foreign journalists are in their hands."
Another top Hamas activist told the Post that his movement's investigations have shown that the two journalists were initially kidnapped by members of one of the PA's security forces. "The kidnappers, who wanted to put pressure on the Palestinian leadership to pay them their salaries, later handed the two over to Fatah gunmen," he said. "They are now being held in one of the refugee camps near Gaza City."
Unfortunately, it's so hard to trust anything Hamas says. With the battles, political and otherwise, that have taken place between Fatah and Hamas, it's hard to tell if these Hamas officials are using Centanni's and Wiig's kidnapping to undermine Fatah, or if they're telling the truth. Or as commenter JumpinJoe said, Hamas may have kidnapped Centanni and Wiig themselves.



Comments (5)
The one thing that stands o... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jumpinjoe | August 24, 2006 7:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The one thing that stands out about this kidnapping group is they have no PR savvy. If they are acting on behave of Palestinians in Gaza, then they are acting 180 degrees opposite of perpetrating propaganda to further a cause.
But then, the cynical side of me thinks that maybe this is really Hamas doing the kidnapping for three reasons.
First, unrealistic demands given just to throw something out there.
Second, no one ever heard of this group before.
Third, Hamas condemns the kidnapping, then gains their release, and becomes heroes in the western media eyes.
Hmmmmm, think about it.
1. Posted by Jumpinjoe | August 24, 2006 7:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2006 19:41
2. Posted by eman | August 24, 2006 11:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Western hostages. Feels like the eighties again. Not good.
2. Posted by eman | August 24, 2006 11:03 PM |
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Posted on August 24, 2006 23:03
3. Posted by Jim Addison | August 24, 2006 11:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Thing that makes me suspect Fatah is they were kidnapped doors away from the PA Security office, which is still controlled by Fatah in Gaza. The groups have been clashing periodically, and it is difficult to imagine Hamas-related gangs could snatch people off the street under Fatah's nose. If they were connected to Fatah, though . . .
3. Posted by Jim Addison | August 24, 2006 11:24 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2006 23:24
4. Posted by Tom Blogical | August 24, 2006 11:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I have had a bad feeling about this one from the start. I really, really hope that I'm wrong...but I'm not optimistic about a safe release in this case.
I can't emphasize this enough: I really hope that I'm *wrong*. The thing that worries me about this group is that they're not "supposedly" affiliated with Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Palestinian "resistance" and they knew exactly when to strike.
The lack of information for the initial 7-9 days in this case creeps me out. I hope something positive happens soon.
4. Posted by Tom Blogical | August 24, 2006 11:49 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2006 23:49
5. Posted by ed | August 25, 2006 11:01 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmmm.
I really feel for them and their families.
I hate to say this but I think we're going to be seeing a beheading video sometime soon.
With AQ now in Gaza, all bets are off. Either the Palestinians deal with AQ and eliminate it or AQ will grow in strength and eliminate them.
5. Posted by ed | August 25, 2006 11:01 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2006 11:01