The Tragic Death of two Hostages in Nigeria
Italy and the UK seem to be falling out badly over Britain’s failure to give warning that they were taking action. Read about it here on the BBC.
Robert Fox in the Standard says we are right and takes a strong line to say so.
This is an except from his report.
To have given advance warning of the rescue raid would have been to court further disaster.
The smuggling mafias of Nigeria undoubtedly have direct dealings with the Boko Haram terrorists who took the two engineers last May. They would pick up rumours of a possible rescue, particularly if it had to be delayed even for a day or so.
The information would have got out, either in Italy or in Nigeria or both. Some Italian commercial organisations and self-appointed go-betweens might then have tried to raise ransom for Mr Lamolinara.
A number of Italian hostages have been ransomed in several world trouble-spots, including Nigeria,
in recent years. Few national governments are as hard line on not paying ransom as the UK.
There is a lot more in the same vein here.
The fact that we don’t pay ransoms, is a policy I totally agree with.
The Anonymous Widower 
I too agree that we are right not to pay ransoms. And when a family member went to country where kidnaps do happen, we had the conversation before they went and all agreed that however hard it would be, paying a ransom was wrong
Comment by liz | March 10, 2012 |