07 Jun 06: Taliban Claims Canadian Soldiers Abducted In Afghanistan

[Scoobie Newbie]

lol

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

CBC reports that the CDS says the report is false.

 

[Lost_Warrior]

Don't be suprised when Al Jazera starts posting "pictures" of the captured Canadian Soldier...  :

 

[pbi]

Before we laugh too hard with relief, remember that we had guys "abducted" in FRY by a much less dangerous and determined belligerent.

Cheers

 

[paracowboy]

it's crap. Plain and simple.

 

[old medic]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/06/07/canadian-soldiers.html

Canadian troops not captured: Hillier
Last Updated Wed, 07 Jun 2006 13:36:11 EDT
CBC News

Canada's top soldier is denying a report that an unknown number of Canadian soldiers has been captured by Taliban forces.

Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of defence staff who is in Newfoundland on Wednesday, told CBC News the report is false.

Canadian forces in Afghanistan are conducting a head count after Al-Jazeera television quoted Taliban sources as saying the group had abducted Canadian troops. The network later said the sources were second hand and is now downplaying the story. ...............

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Don't be suprised when Al Jazera starts posting "pictures" of the captured Canadian Soldier...  :

Too right. Because a Calgary Highlander is worth five of any other regiment.

Even if he does wear his anklets on the wrong feet.  :

 

[TMM]

PErhaps the thrread title can be changed to "Taliban *Claims* Canadian Soldiers *Abducted In Afghanistan?"

 

[Centurian1985]

Latest search as of 1 pm CST.

Canadian abducted from oil rig in Nigeria (02 June)
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/06/02/nigeria-attacks-hostage.html
"A group called the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has been carrying out a campaign of attacks and abductions. Their actions have cut Nigeria's oil exports by a quarter."

Hiller denies story of abduction (07 June)
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/06/07/canadian-soldiers.html
"Canada's top soldier is denying a report that an unknown number of Canadian soldiers has been captured by Taliban forces.  Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of defence staff who is in Newfoundland on Wednesday, told CBC News the report is false.  Canadian forces in Afghanistan are conducting a head count after Al-Jazeera television quoted Taliban sources as saying the group had abducted Canadian troops. The network later said the sources were second hand and is now downplaying the story."

Does not appear to be true at this time.

(mod edit - in relation to the same comment made on another thread, could be an attempt to determine effects of such an event on Canadian troops and population back home.

 

[dapaterson]

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/06/deathwatch_in_action_real_acti.php

Likely an Info Op campaign... and the Canadian media grabbed it and ran with it.

 

[KevinB]

FWIW the UNPROFOR comparision is NOT valid

WE know they (the bad guys) are trying to abduct westerners/coalition forces -- AND I dont think anyone is going to let themselves be taken alive after seeing the Al jazeera video shows in the past...

 

[reccecrewman]

I'm relieved to hear that it was a hoax........ and I can definitely agree with the statement of "nobody will let themselves be taken alive after seeing the al-jazeera video".  Whats the point of surrendering to a group thats merely going to give you a tortuous death to be placed on exhibition on the internet?

Regards

 

[MarkOttawa]

Post from Bill Roggio, embedded with CF, "Media Death Watch in action on purported kidnapped Canadian soldier".
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/06/deathwatch_in_action_real_acti.php

Excerpt:

'Tonight I had the displeasure of witnessing the Death Watch in action. An Al Jazeera report, based on an unsubstantiated claim from an unnamed Taliban source, indicated a Canadian soldier was kidnapped in Afghanistan. Reuters repeated the unsubstantiated claim, which later morphed into an unspecified number of Coalition troops. Canada's Globe and Mail, in a rush to press, misidentified the lead Canadian Public Affairs Officer, Major Scott Lundy, as the "spokesman for NATO Special Forces" (the webmaster later corrected this and removed the reference to Major Lundy altogether.)

The Canadian media rushes into action, trying to get to the bottom of the story which very likely is a Taliban information operation. Cell phones are buzzing, reporters are pressing the public affairs officers for quotes. The Death Watch is in full news-gathering mode. Media outlets in Canadian are requesting live interviews and quick columns from their reporters at the airfield. The Canadian forces are in turn conducting a headcount but discount the reports, as this has happened in the past. If this is a false report, as it likely is, the propaganda machine of al-Qaeda and the Taliban has succeeded yet again in manipulating the Western media into doing their bidding. The DeathWatch continues as I submit this post, and Al Jazeera is downplaying the reports of the kidnapping.'

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Infanteer]

You got to admit, a trigger-happy press is a good target for psyops.  It is probably a weakness we have inherited from globalization.  With network news and the internet, news agencies are not able to sit on the story until press time; if you wait for a story to develop, your competitor has already beat you to the most "hits" on the website because he ran with whatever he could....

 

[HDE]

Here in Ontario one of the Toronto AM stations spent an hour or more on the issue of whether or not the "terror arrests" have became a "media frenzy" :

 

[Franko]

Just goes to prove my point I've been making for years....

The media blows things way out of poportion and runs amoke with unsubstantiated info, at times.

Don't believe everything you read or hear in the news folks.....there is always a slant, based mostly on speculation.

I can only imagine the "experts" on the AM programs that HDE was listening to.    :

Regards

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The Canadian media rushes into action, trying to get to the bottom of the story which very likely is a Taliban information operation.
Mark
Ottawa

I don't understand the references to "psyops" or "information operation." So the Taliban gets the Canadian press to report on an untrue allegation....what exactly is gained in material terms? I'm not getting it. In other words, so what?

 

[Thompson_JM]

I don't understand the references to "psyops" or "information operation." So the Taliban gets the Canadian press to report on an untrue allegation....what exactly is gained in material terms? I'm not getting it. In other words, so what?

Scares the Crap outta Joe and Jane Civy, filling their heads with images of canadian Soldiers on tape being executed and beheaded.... not pleasant to think about at all... weakens resolves amongst the average canadian, and has them start thinking even more "we should bring our boys home"

I know from people I talk to, most of them cant belive id volunteer to go to afghanistan, and they all say the same thing: its so dangerous over there, its not safe for you to go, etc.....

no matter how many times you explain to them that (a) its part of our job to go to dangerous places, and (b) I am a trained Soldier Capable of going into combat, they just dont seem to get it.....

if any average Canadians are reading this I have a message for you:  We Appreciate your concern, in fact saying thank you, and telling us that you support us, means more to us then you could ever imagine. But, we agreed to join, and we knew the risks. those serving overseas understood this, and for those soldiers who have made the sacrifice, it was done in the hope that you will never have to.
But thats only my opinion, and im running on fumes right now, I need sleep.

 

[old medic]

Perhaps this is a good time to review a past editorial:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/44236.0.html

 

[The_Pipes]

Thompson, You couldn't have said anything more true if you tried... about both the Joe and Jane civvy and about the people you talk to. That situation applies to more than just yourself unfortunately  :