Group Claims Kidnap Of Fox Journalists

Palestinian Group Releases First Video Of Two Men Abducted In Gaza

(CBS/AP)  "We are going to exchange the Muslim female and male prisoners in American jails in return for the prisoners that we have. We are going to give you 72 hours beginning midnight tonight to take your decision," the statement said.

"If you implement and meet our condition, we will fulfill our promise. If not, wait, and we are going to wait."

It was not clear whether the group was referring to prisoners being held by the United States in Guantanamo Bay or Iraq, where the United States is holding large numbers of Muslims.

Wiig, 36, of New Zealand, 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.

Wigg's wife Anita - also a journalist - is in Gaza searching for his
whereabouts and pleading for his safety.

For the first time, she now has proof he's alive, D'Agata reports.

Centanni's brother welcomed the video.

"We're very relieved that the kidnappers have contacted the world and we can see our brother and Olaf," Ken Centanni said from his San Jose, Calif., home. "They look tired and a bit down, but they look good. We're just at this point going to do what we can to secure their release."

Although Palestinian militant groups have often seized foreigners, including members of the media, this is the longest any have been held.

More than two dozen foreigners have been seized in the past two years, and they usually follow a clear pattern. Militants boast of their success within hours, followed by demands for jobs or freedom for jailed relatives, then brief negotiations and finally the release of those abducted, often the same day.

But the kidnapping of Centanni and Wiig has not followed that pattern. Until Wednesday, no group had claimed responsibility, and their whereabouts remained a mystery despite emotional appeals from family members.

Palestinian government officials, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, have called for the release of Centanni and Wiig.

Mushir Masri, a Hamas lawmaker, said the kidnapping of civilians does not represent Palestinian culture.

"The Palestinian people respect all countries of the world and takes no one as an enemy, except the Zionist enemy that occupies our land," he said.

However, Masri said the United States bears some responsibility for the abduction.

"We hold the Zionist enemy and the American administration responsible for such acts because of their unfair policies," he said.

[lochlan-2009]

Never stated nor do I believe kidnapping ever is justified.

[ronniehm]

Lochlan, you should have just said you hope they come home safely. To suggest that kidnapping is justified because they work for Fox News shows that you have the kind of character you claim to hate. And wgrasse, without a shadow of a doubt, you should check your facts.

[lochlan-2009]

wgrasse, first of all the kidnappers are not Hezbollah. Secondly, "do this to unarmed U.S. citizens" you mean like we and Israel have done to them a hundred times over, do we need to be "erased" to or are we special in your line of thought? Sounds hypocritical and ignorant, did you vote for Bush?. Truth be told, Fox News isn't even news, it's the main voice of the Bush Propaganda machine. How many innocent Palestinians, Iraqies and Lebanese civilians have been murdered by this Administrations policies? That said, I do hope for these two mens families sake that they are returned safely and unharmed. We don't need anymore blood shed in the region than they already have.

[becoatwr]

Join others at listenministries.com as we pray for the release of these two men.

[iam810461]

I really think it's a terrible news to me. I hope they can get back to home as soon as possible. God bless!

[wgrasse]

This proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Hezbollah are just like Taliban in their ways and means. If they are going to do this to unarmed U.S. citizens, then they need to be elevated to the list of those that need to be erased, like the Taliban. Any form of sympathy gained by the Lebanese just went right out the window.