| Submit your comments on this article |
| Great White North |
| Kidnappers demand $1.5 million for release of Canadian fifth columnist |
| 2009-01-09 |
| Kidnappers of a Vancouver web publisher are demanding a $1.5 million ransom and the release of Taliban prisoners in Afghanistan, according to a Pakistani newspaper. The News International, an English-language Pakistani newspaper, quoting non-government sources, said along with the money, the hostage-takers are calling for the release of their colleagues from the U.S. prison in Bagram in exchange for the freedom of Khadija Abdul Qahaar. Bagram holds what the U.S. military claims are Citing privacy concerns, Canadian foreign affairs officials will not say who they believe abducted Qahaar or anything about their demands. Up until now, there has been little information about her fate. Qahaar, 52, was kidnapped two months ago while shooting a documentary on the Taliban in Pakistan's violent Bannu district. A convert to Islam, she had said she wanted to show the human face of the Taliban. But on Nov. 11, as her shoot was winding down, she was abducted by armed men. Qahaar was a Vancouver businesswoman involved in internet publishing who used to go by the name of Beverly Giesbrecht. But she became outraged after the launch of the War on Terror, converted to Islam and founded a pro-Islamist web magazine named Jihad Unspun. Glen Cooper, a friend and former business associate of Qahaar's, said he was relieved to find out she's still alive, but worried about her health. "She has a problem with her back and her eyes have been giving her problems over the past few years," Cooper said. She was working freelance for Al-Jazeera at the time of her kidnapping, according to this report. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #9 $1.5 Mill would get you a good sized cargo shipover in the GUlf of Aden; why futz around with this worn out rag??? |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2009-01-09 17:34 |
| #8 We ought to demand $1.5m for taking her back. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2009-01-09 15:03 |
| #7 A few weeks before she was abducted, Giesbrecht appealed for financial help to get out of the country. She posted an entry on her Web site on Oct. 22, titled, "An Urgent Request From Khadija Abdul Qahaar." Geez, not what ya thought it was gonna be, huh, Beverly? "Pakistan is now erupting into a full-scale war zone. We have been in some very sensitive areas and even Islamabad is now locked down. As foreigners we must leave the country however we do not have the funds to get out," she wrote. "Allah knows that I really dislike having to ask but please know how hard we work for Allah. We have managed to get very good material out of the country to our production group but our physical safety is now paramount." Looks like Allah sez, "No". Let's see if we can shakedown the Canadians instead... "As a woman, I have already had a few close calls in the tribal areas as kidnappers and thieves are running loose even in Peshawar." Wow, even in Peshawar, ya say? Stick around and enjoy the "human face of the Taliban", you demented cow. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-09 13:55 |
| #6 Make them promise to keep her and they can raise their demand to $2 million. |
| Posted by: tipper 2009-01-09 13:07 |
| #5 They aren't kidnapping her! They are protecting her within the dictates of the Taliban philosophy.....namely keeping her covered up at all times and incommunicado, with the possible exception of times when she gets to service the boys in whatever way they see fit. Believe me, she's getting plenty of exposure to the "human face" of the Taliban, even with her bad eyes and back. Khadija's just doing intensive research, Mr Cooper. Nothing to worry about here. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-01-09 12:37 |
| #4 Why she would want to leave her fellow believers to return to the decadent satan ruled west? |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-01-09 12:06 |
| #3 Have Al Jizz bail her out, we don't give a shit. |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-01-09 10:31 |
| #2 A convert to Islam, she had said she wanted to show the human face of the Taliban. Mission accomplished. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-09 10:11 |
| #1 A convert to Islam, she had said she wanted to show the human face of the Taliban. Heh...heh...heh... But she became outraged after the launch of the War on Terror, converted to Islam and founded a pro-Islamist web magazine named Jihad Unspun. Ya don't say. This don't sound like a setup, does it? Keep the bitch. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-09 10:09 |