US Soldier Held Captive By Taliban Shown In Video
UPDATE: Video footage is available via AP and ABC News
The Taliban has just released a video of the American soldier missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan since June 30.
The soldier, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by the Pentagon pending notification of members of Congress and the soldier’s family, states his identity on the video according to AP sources.
The soldier said the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol.
He is interviewed in English by his captors, and he is asked his views on the war (extremely hard), Islam ( wants to learn more it) and the morale of American soldiers (which he said was low.)
Asked how he was doing, the soldier said:
“Well I’m scared, scared I won’t be able to go home,” he said on the video. “It is very unnerving to be a prisoner.”
Fox News has additional details from the video here
Las Vegas Boy Believed Kidnapped by Mexican Drug Cartel Found Alive In Las Vegas
October 17, 2008 by national
Filed under Stories of Interest
Update – Missing 6-Year-Old Cole Puffinburger Found Alive in Las Vegas
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UPDATE – Grandfather Capture By Police In California – A senior law enforcement agency involved in the manhunt for the grandfather of a kidnapped Vegas boy has confirmed to FOX News that Clemens Fred Tinnemeyer has been arrested.
Investigators captured Tinnemeyer near the Riverside, Calif., area after receiving tips of his whereabouts.
Officials were looking for a motor home and his truck, but there is no word on whether or not that was found with Tinnemeyer.
Tinnemeyer will be facing a judge soon.
Metro Police Capt. Vincent Cannito had said Friday that Tinnemeyer, 51, was a “person of interest” in the nationwide search for 6-year-old Cole Puffinburger.
From Adam Housley’s Blog
Original Post
Millions of dollars stolen from a Mexican drug cartel by 6-year-old Cole Puffinburger’s grandfather may have been the catalyst for the Wednesday morning home invasion that led to the boy’s kidnapping, according to sources and authorities.
The three men believed to be Mexican nationals who stormed Cole’s east valley home were looking for money Clemens Fred Tinnemeyer had stolen through drug trafficking, primarily in methamphetamine, according to Las Vegas police.
When the men couldn’t find the money, they took Cole, Capt. Vincent Cannito said Friday.
“They wanted to send a very clear message,” Cannito said. “Message sent, message received. They got the attention of an entire nation.”
Tinnemeyer hasn’t been seen in Las Vegas since May 21, and sources said the 51-year-old man is in hiding. Sources have also said he was an alleged money launderer for the cartel and owes them between $8 million and $20 million.
Cannito would only say that the amount of money was in the “millions.”
Police have added Tinnemeyer and his white, four-door 2004 Dodge Ram pickup to the Amber Alert network that has been sent out to multiple states. Numerous federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are also investigating the case.
“Tinnemeyer has stolen a large sum of money, all proceeds of illegal drug activity,” Cannito said. “There are millions of dollars involved in major drug trafficking that this individual was a part of.”
Police are also looking into potential involvement in illegal narcotics activity by other family members.
“It would be no understatement that other members of the family are involved as well,” Cannito said.
The involvement of a Mexican drug cartel in the kidnapping, sources have said, raises questions about the well-being of the boy. Cannito wouldn’t comment on whether a cartel was involved, but didn’t understate the severity of the situation.
“These are extremely dangerous people,” Cannito said. “We said it yesterday, we’ll say it again: This is as bad as it gets.”
Violence involving cartels have risen in Mexico in recent months to include women and children, according to media reports, and reports of torture and beheadings have become almost commonplace.
“The pressure (from authorities) that’s being put upon drug cartels in Mexico, and specific individuals vying for the control of the Mexican cartels, has caused an escalation in violence,” DEA spokeswoman Sarah Pullen said from the agency’s office in Los Angeles.
“It’s violent. It’s horrific,” she said. “And if you look at what’s happened with many of the beheadings that have happened down there, the killings that are done, are definitely to send a message, to terrorize and impact the community.”
Tourists Kidnapped in Egypt
September 22, 2008 by national
Filed under Stories of Interest
Fifteen tourists were forcibly taken by kidnappers Monday in Upper Egypt. The 15 was made up of five Germans, five Italians, four Egyptians and one Romanian.
The kidnapping took place near Gilf el-Kabir near the Libyan borders. According to Mustapha Tawfiq, chief of police of Aswan, the abductors were four Egyptians wearing masks.
The Egyptian Tourism Minister condemned the abduction of the 15 as an act of banditry, not of terrorism.
The 15 were spread in three of four vehicles. A ransom demand has been made, although the amount asked was not revealed. Egyptian Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Maghrabi said negotiations with the kidnappers are underway.
There were speculations that Israelis were included in the group and that the victims were taken to Sudan. Local Israel radio clarified there was no Israeli among the 15, but there was no confirmation where the kidnap victims were brought.
The four Egyptians kidnapped were identified as two safari company employees, the owner of the company and a security officer looking after group.
The Egyptian tourism minister, Zoheir Garana, said his department was negotiating with the kidnappers, who are thought to be desert tribesman demanding up to $6m (£3.25m) in ransom.
An Egyptian government spokesman said it was thought the tourists were taken to Sudan.
Security sources said there was no indication Islamist militants were involved.
