Stephanie
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
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I'ts on right now my time.....2:27am Sunday Sunday, August 27, 2006
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Two FOX News journalists were released Sunday, nearly two weeks after being seized by militants, ending the longest-running drama involving foreign hostages in the Gaza Strip.
The day had begun with promises by senior Palestinian officials that Fox cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, and correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, would be released in coming hours.
At the same time, the kidnappers released a new video, showing the hostages dressed in beige Arab-style robes. Wiig, of New Zealand, delivered an anti-Western speech, his face expressionless and his tone halting. The kidnappers claimed both men had converted to Islam.
Several hours later, the two men were dropped off at Gaza City's Beach Hotel. Now in Western-style clothing, Centanni and Wiig quickly walked through the lobby and rushed upstairs. A tearful Centanni briefly embraced a Palestinian journalist. Wiig briefly turned and appeared to yell at Palestinian security guards before heading upstairs.
The journalists were seized in Gaza City on Aug. 14.
Their captors, a previously unknown group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades, had demanded the release of all Muslims imprisoned by the U.S. It was not immediately clear whether the kidnappers received anything in return for freeing the journalists.
It also remained unclear whether the kidnappers were local militants, either with ties to Hamas or the rival Fatah movement, or sneaked into Gaza from outside. However, some Palestinian security officials said Sunday there were growing suspicions that the kidnappers were locals.
In the past two years, Palestinian militants have seized more than two dozen foreigners, usually to settle personal scores, but released them unharmed within hours. The holding of the Fox journalists had been the longest.
In the video released earlier Sunday, Wiig is seen sitting cross-legged on the floor and reading from crumpled notes. In the past, foreign hostages held in Iraq have said their captors coerced them into making statements.
In another segment, Centanni said he has converted to Islam and raised his index finger in an oath of allegiance to the religion.(they are saying they said this, just so they could be released..
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,210645,00.html
