snapped shot

Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo has been released! Here's the wire photo accompanying the announcement - nothing follows yet, including word on Ajmal's fate.


Update: Jawa and Monsters and Critics have more on this story.

I found out today via RSF that Ajmal is still alive and in Taliban captivity, along with Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo. My prayers are with the family of Sayed Agha, the driver who was killed "as a spy."

Reporters Without Borders said it was appalled by today's announcement by the Taliban that Sayed Agha, the Afghan driver of kidnapped Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, was executed by their abductors.

Agha was "executed after being found guilty of spying," Mulluh Dadullah's spokesman told the Afghan news agency Pajhwok.

May the perpetrators be introduced to the "business" end of an American missile, sooner than later.

We've learned today (via Jawa), that one of the two Afghan nationals who was accompanying Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo has been murdered by the Taliban thugs who took them hostage! No word yet on whether or not this is Lightstalkers member Ajmal, but my prayers are with the unfortunate victim's family either way!

"His throat was slit at 7 a.m. because he was confirmed to be a spy for foreign military forces," ANSA quoted Ibrahim Hanifi as saying. The dead man is believed to have been Mastrogiacomo's driver.

In case you missed it, Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo was kidnapped by the Taliban last week, and accused of being a spy. His captors claim that he and his associates entered the region illegally, and that lasers hidden in shampoo bottles were found in their possession.

How fortunate we are to see this morning that Jawa reports a videotape has been sent to La Repubblica containing a recording of a statement made by Mr. Mastrogiacomo. The paper released a still from the video, along with a transcript of his statement, which can be found at the Jawa link above. The Repubblica previously reported on another statement by the Taliban, which indicated that the thugs are looking for a prisoner exchange of some sort, in order to secure Daniele's release.

I don't see any word on the condition of his co-captors, but imagine that either a similar demand has been sent to the Afghani government to secure their release, or that they are considered a "package" deal by the Taliban thugs. In either case, I hope all of them will be released unharmed, and returned to their families.

It would appear that there is a distinct possibility that the kidnappers of BBC journalist Alan Johnston were aided by local Palestinian reporters whom he was working with. The same locals were also present at a number of other kidnappings, including the case involving Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni.

One is reminded of a certain ancient tale involving an alligator and a scorpion, for some odd reason.

My hopes are still for Mr. Johnson to be released swiftly, and for the perpetrators to be found and brought to justice.

(h/t CAMERA Snapshots--no relation) Apparently, Alan Johnson, a correspondent for BBC in the Middle East, has been pulled from his car in Gaza City today and kidnapped by "Palestinians." No word yet on which faction is responsible or what their motivation is, but I suspect it's yet another bald money-grab, not that "Palestinians" are known for such things. With that in mind, I hope that the transaction is completed in short order, and Mr. Johnson is free to continue telling his stories safely soon thereafter.

... along with two of the "Fixers" who were helping him enter a controversial Taliban-controlled area in Afghanistan. One of the fixers, identified as Ajmal, is a Lightstalkers member, which is how I heard about this incident. His LS profile shows that he hasn't been very active on the forum lately.

The Taleban say they have kidnapped an Italian journalist and two Afghan nationals in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

A source close to a regional Taleban commander told the BBC that the three men were seized after entering an area of Helmand without permission.

He accused them of spying and said they were being detained at a Taleban base.

Considering La Repubblica's notorious leftward cant, it'd be interesting to know what reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo was investigating. Hopefully, when he is returned safely from captivity, we will find out. I hope and pray for their safety, and look forward to hearing more from them as soon as they are released.

Update: UH OH! Apparently, the latest word on the wires is that, "A voice recording of a man claiming to be top Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah has said an Italian journalist captured by the militants has confessed to spying for the British military." This is not good.

It did just occur to me that this could be an orchestrated campaign by the Taliban to try and "coerce" embattled Italian Premier Prodi into accelerating Italy's withdrawal from Afghanistan. Not that anything like that has ever happened before...

This is not looking good on quite a few levels.