Deadline looms for kidnapped journalists
<http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=bc409f9a-ca16-49c1-ac7c-73253e07572b>http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=bc409f9a-ca16-49c1-ac7c-73253e07572b Sean Myers , Canwest News Service Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008 CALGARY - A ransom deadline looms for kidnapped Alberta journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan. Somali abductors have threatened to kill the pair if they are not paid $2.5 million by Tuesday, but a travel writer who met Lindhout last year in Afghanistan says he's optimistic the deadline will be extended. "I'm sure they're not going to do anything on Tuesday," said Richard Poplak, a Toronto-based author who grew up in South Africa. "I really hope not." Poplak got to know Lindhout over a three-week stint in Kabul in the summer of 2007 and remembers the Sylvan Lake native as someone "who got things done." He had been in Israel the previous spring when BBC reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped by a radical Muslim faction in the Gaza Strip and held for 114 days. He said being a part of the efforts to free the British reporter was eye opening. "He was a well known journalist with the BBC behind him. There were at least 30 journalists there working behind the scenes on his behalf," said Poplak. "Amanda is a freelancer and I'm sure she doesn't have any insurance. I'm not sure if the same effort is behind her." The ransom demand was made through Press TV, an English-language Iranian television station for which Lindhout once worked as a correspondent. Lindhout, Brennan and their Somali driver, Abdifatah Mohammed Elmia, have been held since Aug. 23 when they were taken at gunpoint near Mogadishu. At the request of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Lindhout's family has not been granting interviews to the media. Retired Red Deer MP Bob Mills said Foreign Affairs had assigned one official to the case full time. Lindhout, 27, is a well-travelled journalist who was last based in Baghdad for Press TV. Whenever she returned to Alberta, Lindhout would work at bars and restaurants in Calgary. She was touring through Africa putting together freelance reports to sell to news agencies when she was kidnapped. Calgary Herald [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom! on your Mobile <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom! Blog <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the Kingdom! By the by <*}}}>< Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue with Your help, so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
