Ransom for Canadian diplomats strengthened al-Qaida: WikiLeaks cable
Postmedia News
February 4, 2011 5:03 AM
A "ransom" that was paid for the release of two kidnapped Canadian diplomats increased the strength of al-Qaida in Africa, Libya's foreign minister complained, according to a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.
The cable dated 2009, describes comments made by Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa regarding the release of the Canadians that year.
Robert Fowler, who had been appointed as a special UN envoy to Niger, and Louis Guay, were captured in December 2008 and spent 130 days being held by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) before being released.
Postmedia News reported following the release that four jailed "mujahedeen" fighters had been released to al-Qaida's North Africa branch in exchange for the two Canadian diplomats and two European women.
While the Conservative government said it had stuck to its public policy of neither paying a ransom nor freeing prisoners for hostages, Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the time seemed to leave open the possibility that other countries had fronted a deal.
The Algerian daily El Khabar reported at the time that an unnamed European country paid a ransom of five million euros.
In the cable, Kusa said al-Qaida was expanding its influence in the Saharan belt and North Africa.
He said there had been eight kidnappings in the past six months, including the two Canadians, "who were recently released in return for a ransom payment."
The cable recounts Kusa describing the payments as "unfortunate and only increased the strength of al-Qaida."
No details of the ransom were mentioned in the cable, which was recently released by the WikiLeaks website.
WikiLeaks has shot to international prominence in the past year by leaking a flood of U.S. diplomatic cables and other documents.
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Friday, February 4, 2011
Harper's actions strengthened al-Qaida, says Libyan Foreign Minister
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8 comments:
He has a point.
Fowler was a fool, and still is.
Ignatieff oggled over his "wise" comments.
Harper bailed him out, only to get stabbed by a naive left wing diplomat.
Conservative spin , ain`t it grand.
If I was the kitten , I would run like hell for the nearest exit before I became the poster cat for the king of shrimp-fests , King Steve.
As I say , run kitten run.
Dr Mike Popovich
Well that settles it.
Certainly no one could doubt the wise comments of a Libyan politician. They are known for if for nothing else, their honesty and goodwill to all humanity wherever they may live.
Harperites are like mushrooms.
Kept in the dark and fed shit.
Anonymous
Actually , what it settles is the fact that we cannot believe what the PM says.
I can still see those 18 blacked-out pages.
I can still see the letter from the Privy Council recalling those same pages.
I still remember his solemn promise not to tax income trusts.
These are all symptoms of the larger problem whose name is Stephen Harper.
Dr Mike Popovich
Anonymous said...
Harperites are like mushrooms.
Kept in the dark and fed shit.
That could also read:
Canadians are like mushrooms.
Kept in the dark and fed shit.
The "shit" in this instance being Harper's denial that ransom was paid to free these hostages. Just like the "shit" fed to Canadians that income trusts cause "tax leakage". When will the "shit" end?
Re: "Certainly no one could doubt the wise comments of a Libyan politician. They are known for if for nothing else, their honesty and goodwill to all humanity wherever they may live."
More "shoot the messenger" and "ad hominem" arguments so common with the CONs and their blind adherent followers.
Meanwhile Harper lied to Canadians when he intimated that no ransom was paid to free these hostages.
Therefore, who is the person not to be believed: Harper or this Libyan Foreign Minister?
You don't even need to answer that question, since if ransom was paid then of course it strengthened al-Qaida. monetary-wise and emboldened-wise.
You can take that from me, as a CANADIAN!
Fowler got bailed out and learned zilch.
Harper was had by Fowler.
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