American Hostages

It has now been over 24 hours since the video of Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig was released, along with a pamphlet from the kidnappers terrorists.  While news agencies are reporting the positive -- they look good, they are being fed and given access to showers, etc., my new heroin Jennifer Griffin is doing all the right things to secure Centanni and Wiig's release.

I have watched and listened to her reporting very closely.  She refers to the kidnappers as 'religious people, true followers of Islam', and that they will of course 'follow the teachings of Islam and treat these men with hospitality and care for them, keep them safe'.  She tells the kidnappers that Centanni and Wiig 'love the Palestinian people' and were there because 'they wanted to tell the world the true story of the plight of the Palestinians'.

She stresses each time she is on-air, that all factions in the area are coming together, -- Hamas, the PA, Islamic Jihad, and more -- unified in their belief that these kidnappers are NOT helping the Palestinian people but are in fact hurting their cause.  Ms. Griffin tells the kidnappers that Centanni and Wiig could have left the area and gone to Lebanon or Jerusalem like other reporters, but they chose to stay because of their love for the people and desire to get the truth out.

I know that she is not talking to her TV audience, she is talking directly to the kidnappers.  If they are watching, hopefully her words with make a difference.  It is a good sign that all groups in the region are coming together and it appears (I'm no idiot, so I say 'appears') that these groups might have some pull with the kidnappers.  We can only pray that is so.

Ms. Griffin has worked for Fox News Channel since 1999 as a correspondent in the Jerusalem bureau.  Prior to joining Fox, she worked in the Jerusalem area for several other American news agencies, including the AP.  She has developed many 'sources' in the region, including sources within the terror groups in the region.  If anyone can help to get these two Americans free, I believe it will be Jennifer Griffin. 

May God guide her in her efforts.

Tel-Chai Nation has a most interesting view point of who might have Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, and who they might be connected to. (You can also read Tel-Cai Nation's work at Infidel Bloggers Alliance) He is also part of the blogburst for their release:

They're alive

Just shortly after Michelle Malkin posted a special blogburst for supporting Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, news has come out that they're alive, and a video's been released in which the Islamothugs who kidnapped them are demanding the release of "Muslim prisoners". A recording that's got a very al Qaeda feel to it. Here's the video recording at Hot Air, but what's really interesting here, as the Jawa Report noticed, is what's quoted from Wiig in the AP's report:

In the video, Steve Centanni, 60, of the San Francisco area, and cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, of New Zealand, appeared to be in good health, seated on the floor in sweat suits against a black background. No armed men were shown.

"Our captors are treating us well," Centanni said, adding that they had access to clean water, showers, bathrooms, food and clothing.

"So, just want to let you know I am here and alive and give my love to my family and friends and ask to do anything you can to try to help us get out of here," he added.

Wiig called for help to get them freed.

"If you could apply any pressure on the local government here in Gaza and the West Bank, that would be much appreciated by Steve and myself," Wiig said.

See that part there? Now that is most amazing, that, as indicated by Wiig, he's saying that the ones we should be turning our attention to in getting our two heroes from FOX released is the PLO/Hamas itself and Mahmoud Abbas! Yes, it would very much appreciated indeed, because they're part of the problem.

As Rusty also notes, yes, an al Qaeda affiliate is operating in Gaza, which begs the question: does the US government have any wish to destroy them?

Others on the subject include Mary Katherine Ham, Hyscience, Ms Underestimated, Lifelike Pundits, Plus Ultra (plus, another one), bRight & Early, JunkYardBlog, It Shines for All, Sierra Faith, Sanctuary Blog, Toadpond, Dodo World, Political Pitt Bull, The Sundries Shack, Freedoms Zone, Sister Toldjah, Dave Lucas' Notes, Right Truth, Flopping Aces, Digger's Realm, Stuck on Stupid, America's North Shore Journal, Two Babes and a Brain, Respublica, The Zero Point, Suitably Flip, Pirate's Cove, Simple American Blog, Stander's Point, Wizbang, Just Me, Conservative Blog Therapy, Vital Perspective, Alarming News, Editors in Pajamas, Techlizard, Alabama Liberation Front, Sam Houston, A Lady's Ruminations, One Jerusalem, The Thunder Run, Sublime Rage, Left Wing = Hate, Isn't it Rich, Babalu Blog, Ace of Spades, Church and State, Pajamas Media, Ed Driscoll, Liberty News Forum, Strategic Outlook Institute, Riehl World View, Freedom Folks, A Distant Soil, American Princess, Liberty and Justice, The Wizard, Soccerdad, Blue Crab Boulevard, Degree of Madness, Most Certainly Not, GZ Expat, The Bullwinkle Blog, Right Wing Nut House, Bile Snark and Sneer, PC Free Zone, Environmental Republican, Cantor, Skilletfan, StikNStein, Jim Rose, Searchlight Crusade, Kuru Lounge, The Mad Tea Party, Everyone's a Pundit, My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, Thespis Journal, Conservative Musings, Alphabet City, Pettifog, New American Citizen, Void Where Prohibited, ProCynic, Anwyn's Notes in the Margin, The Real Republican, Chicago Ray, Red Hot Cuppa Politics, Keep Austin Corporate, Right Wing Nation, Clash of Civilizations, AubreyJ.Org.

Comments

[Bile, Snark, and Sneer]

Thank you for the link to your blog. I would have sent you an email, rather than posted a comment, but I can't quite puzzle out your contact information.

I love your blog. I will be adding it to my blog's list of "Greatest Blogs."

Best regards,
Bile, Snark and Sneer

[Angel]

Hi Debbie, our feeble attempt at fighting terror is pathetic at best..this is yet another outrage!..great read!

[James Biga]

These terrorists kidnapped Americans in Gaza and then sent the ransom request to American officials. This kidnapping has nothing to do with Israel other than we support Israel. If they were'nt suffering from rectal-cranial inversion they would have demanded prisoner releases from Israel for the Americans. Al-queda has been reportedly working in Gaza for awhile now. These guys are probably nothing more than "glory hounds" trying to earn points and appreciation from the main organization. If the men are not released what will our government do? Is this reason enough to go into Gaza ourselves? Probably not. The Islazci world is doing what it can to lure us into conflict on their schedule and at their selected locations. Things are about ready to get nasty.