Another CAN Journalist Nabbed, This Time in PAK

[The Bread Guy]

The latest from the Globe & Mail:

Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal region have decided to shelve plans to kill Canadian hostage Beverly Giesbrecht, but her captors are apparently still holding out for a ransom before releasing her.

“After broad-based consultations, the Shura (leadership council) has postponed indefinitely the plan to kill the woman,” said Qari, a close associate of Taliban commander Gul Bahadur who asked to be identified by his first name only.

The abduction of Ms. Giesbrecht, 53, has become a sensitive issue, and tribesmen of the embattled area are reluctant to speak on the matter openly. However, some locals said that while there is no hard information about her release, it could come at any time ....

 

[OldSolduer]

If they release her....do we have to take her back? Couldn't we pay them a million bucksto keep her?

 

[Lil_T]

I wish they would keep her.  I'm curious why she's so special that they don't want to won't kill her - but they have no qualms about taking other Canadian lives.

*not wishing her dead, just making an observation.

 

[CountDC]

maybe we can take up a collection for the million to keep her.

Still think this was all a scam that she was involved with from the getgo. They are probably ready to release her as they are tired of her too.

 

[The Bread Guy]

They are probably ready to release her as they are tired of her too.

Don't know about that, but there sure are mixed opinions in the jihad blogosphere about her work and her status - this from one Taliban-supporting blogger (.pdf attached in case you don't want to link to the site):

For some time now, there is some news floating around about Jihadunspun’s founder, Khadija Abdul Qahaar, that was taken as a hostage by some people in Pakistan. There is even a video of her pleading for help. She was supposed to be beheaded two days ago, but I guess that was put off by her kidnappers.

The news agencies, including jihadunspun, are saying that her kidnappers are Taliban. I have a lot of doubts about this for various reasons:

    * The kidnappers are asking for $375,000 US dollars; this is something the Taliban have never done in the past. If she was a spy, why would they allow her a second chance? When it comes to spies, they don’t give them a second chance.
    * The Taliban, when taking prisoners, almost always ransom them with Mujahid prisoners.
    * People are unaware of the fact that there are still crooks and bandits all around Pakistan. It’s possible that they told her that they were Taliban in order to attract attention in hopes of either obtaining a lot of money or for simply tarnishing the image of the Taliban (or both).

Jihadunspun is a very strange website by itself for different reasons. Aside from the fact that Azzam.com - when it was working in service - blasted jihadunspun as an untrustworthy news network and accused them of being spies, there are some strange things about jihadunspun that leaves a few questions:

    * Why do they make people pay for jihadi videos which are freely available online?
    * Why hasn’t their website ever been shutdown by hackers/government agencies/hosting service when it is clearly pro al-Qaa’idah?
    * Why hasn’t the major Kafir websites such as jihadwatch.com and others not ever lend a comment in regards to jihadunspun, which has been around for many years?

Anyways, there are many questions left unanswered. Those who rush to judgment, making anti-Taliban statements, are the most pathetic of people in this regard since they don’t know how to think for themselves. It’s amazing how one has to sometimes spoon-feed someone else to make them think for their ownselves.

 

[Kat Stevens]

"Anyways, there are many questions left unanswered. Those who rush to judgment, making anti-Taliban statements, are the most pathetic of people in this regard since they don’t know how to think for themselves. It’s amazing how one has to sometimes spoon-feed someone else to make them think for their ownselves."

I don't care who you are, this is some funny shit, right here.

 

[The Bread Guy]

....on the web page, anyway (thanks to jihad content analyst Jaret Brachmanfor this) - here's what we now see at the Jihad Unspun web page - .pdf here in case the link doesn't work:

Khadija Abdul Qahar is a devoted Muslim who created this web site.

Since 2002 she has operated a totally independent outlet for news about the Middle East.

With almost no resources, this tiny but remarkable woman raised the bar for courageous reporting.

She knew that her integrity would be attacked by both sides.

But Khadija appreciates the kind support from fellow Muslims world-wide.

Her primary goal is independent journalism that provides an alternate voice to Western media.

She was aware of the risks involved in her latest journey, but had faith in those who were supposed to protect her.

Pray to Allah that she will be allowed to continue her efforts.

This site will resume operation upon her release.

For more information: [email protected]

 

[The Bread Guy]

.... there appears to be stuff on the go, according to this update from the Canadian Press - some highlights:

.... Glen Cooper, whose friendship with Giesbrecht spans more than two decades, said he spoke to her by telephone two months ago.

(....)

Cooper said he's had several conversations with the kidnappers, though the number of direct calls has slowed in recent months.

"I did speak to her in the summer so I knew she was alive then," Cooper said. "I have not heard from her since and I don't know what her status is."

Cooper has been reluctant to speak out on Giesbrecht's abduction in the past while officials worked to secure her release. But as the one-year anniversary of the kidnapping approaches, he said government officials aren't telling him anything and he's worried his close friend won't last much longer.

"I have her phone number," he said, speaking of Giesbrecht and her captors.

"I could just phone her but I don't because that gets in the way of what other people are doing."

In the weeks following Giesbrecht's abduction, Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Monette issued a statement saying, "Canadian officials continue to engage with Pakistani authorities in seeking her safe and early release."

This week, when asked to update the situation, Monette issued a near-identical statement, saying, "Canadian officials are engaged with Pakistani authorities in seeking her safe release."

Monette declined further comment.

"I'm sure that you can appreciate that we will not comment or release any information which may compromise our efforts or jeopardize the safety of a Canadian citizen," she said.

John Weston, a Conservative MP for the West Vancouver riding that Giesbrecht used to call home, confirmed he's familiar with the case but declined to provide further details.

"I look forward to a day when I can discuss with you more openly what hopefully will have been a successful release of Ms. Giesbrecht," he said.

"This is a peculiar case where we're relying on the local government (in Pakistan) to assist in the release of Ms. Giesbrecht."

A spokeswoman for the High Commission for Pakistan in Ottawa also declined comment on the case ....

 

[George Wallace]

Questions from over a year ago, and no real answers.  Is this woman alive or dead?  Should we concern ourselves with a woman who has betrayed our way of life?  Should her 'friends' and relations still hold out any hope for her?





Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

Friend of abducted B.C. woman fears worst
05/07/2010 10:56:54 PM
CBC News

LINK

A friend of a B.C. woman captured by Islamic militants in Pakistan in late 2008 fear the worst after not hearing anything from her or her captors for 10 months.

Bev Giesbrecht of West Vancouver was abducted in the Bannu district while working as a freelance journalist after converting to Islam and taking a Muslim name.

She had begun calling herself Khadija Abdul Qahaar.

Glen Cooper was involved in negotiations to free his longtime friend and the last time he spoke her was in August 2009.

He said that even then, the 52-year-old Giesbrecht-Qahaar sounded like she had aged 30 years.

"I pray that nothing has happened to her," said Cooper. "My sense is, if I had to bet, she's alive."

In the first year of her captivity, her abductors' ransom demand dwindled from $2 million to $350,000, said Cooper.

Deadlines for her threatened beheading came and went.

Cooper said he believes Giesbrecht-Qahaar may be a hostage who's not worth the trouble because of her brand of journalism, which was sympathetic to the militants.

"There's no question some elements in the Pakistani government have that point of view," Cooper said.

Some other experts familiar with the region and its politics also believe the Canadian may have been foolhardy.

Jere Van Dyk is a U.S. journalist who was held by the Taliban for 45 days in 2008. But he had the FBI, the CIA, the U.S. military and CBS News working to free him.

Giesbrecht-Qahaar did not have the backing of any news organization or government.

"I don't want to judge her from here," Van Dyk told CBC News. "But to me, it's absolutely insane to try anything like that."

Still, Van Dyk said he believes more might be happening on the woman's behalf than is being made public.

"I imagine very strongly that Canada is doing a lot right now, none of which we know about," he said.

A Foreign Affairs spokesperson would only say that Canada is continuing to work with Pakistan to seek Giesbrecht-Qahaar's safe release.

For Cooper, that's not enough.

"Until we know exactly and specifically what the Department of Foreign Affairs has done, what our mission in Islamabad is doing, it would be very difficult for Canadians to assume this isn't a case that has gone cold for the past 10 months," he said.

With files from the CBC's Curt Petrovich

 

[jollyjacktar]

I heard this on the radio yesterday and thought "Tough Sh*t for her.  She wanted to run with the wolves and they ate her possibly.  She asked for it, and got it."  No tears shed here.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Interesting the "nomenclature evolution" over time - from end of 2008....

Abducted B.C. journalist was working for Al Jazeera
Freelancer from West Vancouver had made 'personal and urgent' appeal on her website for financial help to get out of Pakistan
(....)

Canadian journalist abducted in Pakistan
(....)

.... through early 2009....

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090109/BC_journalist_random_090109/20090109/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
Kidnappers want $150,000 to release B.C. journalist
(....)

"Kidnappers of a Vancouver web publisher are demanding a $150,000 ransom and the release of Taliban prisoners in Afghanistan, according to a Pakistani newspaper." (via CBC.ca)

...morphing into March 2009....

Taliban demand $375,000 to free captive Canadian
(....)

....to now

Friend of abducted B.C. woman fears worst
(....)

 

[The Bread Guy]

This from the Indian Express:

A woman journalist from Canada, who was abducted by militants in November 2008, has died following prolonged illness in the custody of the Taliban somewhere in northwest Pakistan or Afghanistan, sources said on Tuesday.

Khadija Abdul Qahar, 55, who was known as Beverly Giesbrecht before she converted to Islam, was abducted along with her translator Salman Khan and cook-cum-driver Zar Muhammad while travelling to Miranshah in the restive North Waziristan tribal region.

The three were abducted in the Bannu region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on November 11, 2008. Salman Khan and Zar Muhammad were released after eight months of captivity due to efforts made by the head of a religious party.

Khan disclosed after his release that Qahar was suffering from hepatitis and was mentally prepared for death.

She was not very optimistic about her release, he had then said.

 

[GAP]

Isn't this the one who praised the Taliban and AQ? Gee, they sure don't treat their friends very well..... :

 

[The Bread Guy]

Isn't this the one who praised the Taliban and AQ?

Zackly

Gee, they sure don't treat their friends very well..... :

Maybe they didn't get the hospitality memo?  Something about playing with the bull and having to expect the horns....

 

[OldSolduer]

She played with fire and got burnt. Too bad.

My condolences to her family.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Silly woman.  A shame she paid such a high price for acting stupid.  But she made her own bed by getting into bed with those animals.

 

[The Bread Guy]

It has been so long since Glen Cooper was awakened by a desperate phone call from Beverly Giesbrecht that he has given up hope.

Kidnapped in northern Pakistan in November, 2008, the West Vancouver woman who had dreamed of getting an interview with Osama bin Laden made several calls to Mr. Cooper from captivity, but then fell silent ....

More here.

 

[kuchunwah]

I wonder if she regretted converting to Islam, and being pro- AQ?

 

[jollyjacktar]

Update on this story.  Shared with the usual caveats.  Full story at link.  And I'm sorry but I still have a hard time feeling too badly about the trouble she got into.

RCMP secretly ended probe into Canadian held by Taliban

Foreign Affairs told Mounties to close investigation into kidnapping and death
By Curt Petrovich, CBC News Posted: Apr 18, 2012 2:16 AM PT Last Updated: Apr 18, 2012 2:15 AM PT

Last year, while Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs publicly insisted it was trying to aid a Canadian held for more than two years by the Taliban, it was privately telling the RCMP to stop investigating the crime.  Beverley Giesbrecht, a former businesswoman from Vancouver, was abducted in November 2008 while working as a fixer and journalist in Pakistan after she converted to Islam and adopted the name Khadija Abdul Qahaar.

In May 2011, the Department of Foreign Affairs revealed to CBC News that it believed Giesbrecht had died in captivity sometime in 2010, but a spokesperson added that it was continuing "to pursue all appropriate channels" to determine what happened.  Documents obtained by CBC News through an access to information request, however, show that months earlier the department not only believed Giesbrecht was dead, but had told the RCMP it didn't need to investigate.  The revelation is contained in more than 370 pages of RCMP situation reports, some written by the RCMP liaison officer in Islamabad, Pakistan. The documents are marked "secret," and most of the material has been redacted.

article link

 

[The Bread Guy]

Taking the previous CBC story one step further - highlights mine....

The head of the RCMP says Mounties who investigated the abduction of a Vancouver woman in Pakistan in 2008 were skeptical the kidnapping was real.

Beverley Giesbrecht was working as a freelance journalist when her car was ambushed by members of the Taliban in November 2008. The department of Foreign Affairs (DFAIT) believes Giesbrecht died in captivity two years later.

The RCMP investigation into what happened to Beverley Giesbrecht was called Project Spiel. It was shut down last year after the Department of Foreign Affairs told the Mounties it didn't need to keep digging.

Until now, the RCMP has refused to comment. A spokesperson even insisted the investigation was still "ongoing".

RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson sounded surprised when CBC News asked him about the case on Parliament Hill Monday.

"Whooo...well...ahm...." Paulson said, before saying that not everyone in the RCMP accepted that Giesbrecht's abduction was genuine.

"It was a little contentious as we went through the file throughout the life of the investigation," Paulson said. "There was some ambiguity as to whether the kidnap was a legitimate kidnap or not." ....

CBC.ca, 24 Apr 12