Taliban Weigh Hostage Fate
ICC Note: Bush and Karzais meeting provides no concessions to the Taliban still holding 21 Korean Christians hostage. Please pray for them as the captors are pressuring them to become Muslim.
8/7/07 Afghanistan (Christian Today) Taliban leaders are deciding what to do with 21 Korean hostages after Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US President George Bush ruled out making any concessions to free them, one of the kidnappers said on Tuesday.
“We know about their comments and will decide what to do next,” said a Taliban commander who holds a group of four of the hostages. He said the Taliban leadership would make the decision on the fate of the Christian volunteers.
In Seoul , where the South Korean government is under intense domestic pressure to secure the release of the hostages, their families issued a plea to Bush and Karzai to help free them.
“We sincerely ask you, with tears in our eyes, to understand the noble intention of the Korean volunteers who, despite all the dangers and difficulties, wanted to spread sharing and love in a place battered by poverty and conflicts,” the said.
The kidnappers have already shot dead two male hostages and have repeatedly threatened to kill the rest of the captives if their demands are not met.
INVITED TO CONVERT
Taliban officials have said two of the female hostages were seriously ill, but South Korea ‘s foreign minister said none of the captives were in a life-threatening condition.
“The hostages can’t be perfectly healthy after nearly 20 days in captivity,” the ministry quoted Song Min-soon as telling local reporters. But he added: “There are no signs of health problems that could pose a threat to their safety.”
The Taliban commander said his group of hostages were well looked after and fed properly.
“They are given everything. potatoes, biscuits, tea, rice, fruit and Pepsi,” he said. “They are taken out for fresh air and have the facility to take a bath.”
The group had been invited to convert to Islam and the hostages told him they would study his offer.
“Again and again have invited them to become Muslims and they said they will deliberate on it,” he said [Go To Full Story]
