February 21, 2010 - What's a sure-fire way to ensure that Islamic terrorist kidnappers demanding a ransom significantly increase their kidnapping and killing of non-Muslims? Pay them, and teach them that kidnapping is profitable. Spain is going to pay five million dollars for the release of three Spanish hostages kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda offshoot in Mauritania on November 29, 2009, El Mundo newspaper said Sunday. Spain "is handing over five million dollars to the terrorists of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) through a Touareg chief," El Mundo claimed without naming sources. The newspaper published an interview with Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure who said he was "confident that there would be very good news in coming days" about six European hostages held by Al-Qaeda's north African branch, including the three Spaniards. Frenchman Pierre Camatte, who was kidnapped in Mali in November, the three Spaniards and an Italian couple taken in December in Mauritania are being held in the northern Mali desert. A deadline set by the group for the execution of the French hostage expired on Saturday. The kidnappers have demanded the release of Islamists imprisoned in Mali in exchange for Camatte and Italian Sergio Cicala. Threats to kill hostages have become more serious since AQIM killed British tourist Edwin Dyer in June 2009, after six months in captivity. Britain refused to yield to the Islamist militants' demands. Click below for story.
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