Breaking: Taliban kill one South Korean hostage; Update: Body found
posted at 9:18 am on July 25, 2007 by Bryan
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23 hostages, 18 of whom are women, taken at gunpoint while working in hospitals doing humanitarian work in one of the world’s poorest countries. Students of the religion of peace do what they do best:
KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban militants claimed they shot and killed one South Korean hostage on Wednesday while a group of abductees was freed and taken to a U.S. military base, officials said.
Purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed that one of the hostages had been shot and killed around 4 p.m. (7:30 a.m. EDT), and a police official who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation said militants told him the hostage was sick and couldn’t walk and was therefore shot.
The story goes on to say that the Taliban freed some of the hostages, and those freed have been moved to a nearby US base. None of this is confirmed.
Now back to your round-the-clock Lindsay Lohan marathon.
More: Compare and contrast.
Update: Seoul may have ransomed some of the hostages with “huge amounts of money.” If true it was an understandable action, but unwise. The Taliban knows that the South Korean government is a mark for barbaric fund raising and will abduct its citizens again. And again.
Update: For what it’s worth.
‘We killed one of the Koreans today because the government is not being honest in talks,’ Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP by telephone from an unknown location.
The Taliban had earlier threatened to start killing the Koreans who are being held in the southern province of Ghazni by 2:00 pm (0930 GMT) if eight Taliban prisoners were not released by the Afghan government.
Ahmadi offered no proof of the claim and it could not be independently verified. His claims last week that another German hostage had been killed proved to be untrue.
Update (AP): They weren’t bluffing.
The bullet-riddled body of a South Korean hostage was found by police Wednesday in central Afghanistan after a purported Taliban spokesman said the militants had killed one of the captives.
The male victim had 10 bullet holes in his head, chest and stomach, and was discovered in the Mushaki area of Qarabagh district in Ghazni province, said police officer Abdul Rahman.
The Taliban spokesman said earlier that the hostage was was killed because Afghan authorities hadn’t met their demands to release other militants from prison.
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Or unbreaking, perhaps. Fox is just now reporting that the man died of illness and was not executed.
Pablo on July 25, 2007 at 9:25 AM
Koranimals, just following the example of their false prophet. I’m just surprised they only killed one.
Tony737 on July 25, 2007 at 9:26 AM
The MSM will claim that the Taliban is becoming moderate because they did not behead hostage.
Of course, the Christians brought this on themselves, and are just as violent as their captors…that is why this is not a story, so goes the MSM.
And to add, this will be labeled as an “extremist group”, a fringe group. But it will show that you cannot desecrate the word of Allah by bringing in infidels. The Christians, were wrong of course, but the Taliban benevolent because they killed only one.
right2bright on July 25, 2007 at 9:28 AM
This is about so-called aid workers/”humanitarians” doing their good in war-torn countries. After the fact we decry the risks? Ditto for the Americans traveling to Iran. If US soldiers are fighting in the country you are visiting, you made a wrong turn. They have taken some westerners hostage who shouldn’t have been there. What should we do, surrender?
JiangxiDad on July 25, 2007 at 9:30 AM
Glad to hear it was a Muslim mercy killing, because, after all, the prisoner was “SICK AND COULD NOT WALK”.
Humanitarian faith that it is, Islam does the reasonable thing, and shoots the patient.
Muslim doctors in England work on a similar theory (SEE: Glasgow Airport).
profitsbeard on July 25, 2007 at 9:33 AM
Who’s Lindsy?
Egfrow on July 25, 2007 at 9:36 AM
CNN.com says the Taliban shot one Korean male dead.
There’s nothing about any Korean hostages freed. A German hostage was freed elsewhere in Afghanistan in an unrelated incident.
Such evil, apparent for all to see. All who have eyes, I guess.
Thomas the Wraith on July 25, 2007 at 9:37 AM
Why can’t we trade Lohan for the Korea Christians?
Thomas the Wraith on July 25, 2007 at 9:40 AM
What amazes me is that all morning long on Fox there was news about Lindsay Lohan. Who the hell cares about Lindsay Lohan?
This is what is actually newsworthy. This is what we’re up against.
nailinmyeye on July 25, 2007 at 9:42 AM
And it seems South Korea payed a ransom for others, according to Michelle’s site.
amerpundit on July 25, 2007 at 9:42 AM
Who’s Lindsy?
Egfrow on July 25, 2007 at 9:36 AM
That Goober guy.
captivated_dem on July 25, 2007 at 9:44 AM
I wonder: what will they do with the ransom money, being that a) they’re in Afghanistan, and b) they won’t be alive much longer.
Get a couple western hookers is my guess.
Jaibones on July 25, 2007 at 9:45 AM
Here is a news link from Korea News Service that says “Talks are in a sensitive phase” Which pretty much means there are direct talking$ to the Taliban.
Egfrow on July 25, 2007 at 9:46 AM
Glad to hear it was a Muslim mercy killing, because, after all, the prisoner was “SICK AND COULD NOT WALK”.
Humanitarian faith that it is, Islam does the reasonable thing, and shoots the patient.
Muslim doctors in England work on a similar theory (SEE: Glasgow Airport).
profitsbeard on July 25, 2007 at 9:33 AM
Sounds like Hillary’s health care plan……..
Joey1974 on July 25, 2007 at 9:47 AM
Father, Give the hostages strength. Grant them peace beyond understanding. Give them boldness to say what needs to be said to their captors. Protect them Father. Amen.
GoodBoy on July 25, 2007 at 9:48 AM
Huh?? This hostage was not a race horse. These savages deserve nothing better then to have their heads set on fire and the flames put out with sledge hammers. Can we please kill these primatives now??? Please???
Zetterson on July 25, 2007 at 9:55 AM
If Afghanistan disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, no one would miss it. Afghanistan doesn’t produce anything anybody wants: nothing in the realm of culture or art, literature or commerce or even raw materials. We have been dealing with this crap for 6 straight years. We’ve given them infrastructure, intangible expertise, hospitals, a government, planeloads of stuff, and incalculable sums of money. And what do we get for all our efforts? The same murdering and kidnapping that we had before. Is our nation-building effort in Afghanistan a failure? If this is success …
Same thing with Kosovo. We are standing, literally, standing between two groups who want to kill each other over issues we know nothing about in a land we don’t want anything from. We’ve been there for what?, 8 years. And what has changed? The Serbs want to kill the Albanians and the Albanians want to kill the Serbs. The only thing that stops them is us. After we leave it’s back to the same murder and death as before. Sure we bought them some time but at what price? And what did they do with the time? Prepare for the next round of fighting.
Does nation-building work at all? Is Haiti any better after dozens of US interventions and God only knows how much foreign aid? And don’t give me Germany and Japan. It seems to me that those were the rare exceptions, not the rule.
Thomas the Wraith on July 25, 2007 at 10:06 AM
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…with your mighty hand and outstreched arm, foil the plans of our enemies. Put a hedge of protection around your servants who face peril. Do a miraculous deed, so that the world may know that YOU are the God of the universe. Lift the veil from the eyes of the blind, that they will know evil when they see it. You are the only hope.
debi118 on July 25, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammo.
amerpundit on July 25, 2007 at 10:11 AM
I love how CNN reports that “some South Korean church workers” were abducted.
God forbid that say “South Korean Christian volunteers” and explain that they went there to try to help people in need.
KMC1 on July 25, 2007 at 10:13 AM
Couldn’t agree more Mr Wraith. Could not agree more. “If Afghanistan disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, no one would miss it.” Exactly. In fact, if it was gone tomorrow the rest of the human race might just breath a simultaneous sigh of relief. I’ve been lambasted on Hotair before for saying such things as, “if given the choice I would not be willing to trade the life of one American soldier for the entire countries of Iraq and Afghanistan combined.” I would much rather use our weapons then the lives of our young men and women. Its not our fault that Islam is a cancer to the human race. We need to stop fighting wars as if it was.
Zetterson on July 25, 2007 at 10:24 AM
I hope its true that at least some of the hostages are now at a US base and on their way home. This breaks my heart and I hope the rest are released or better yet, rescued with all the Taliban savages holding them gunned down like the dogs they are
Keli on July 25, 2007 at 10:32 AM
The Taliban have lost patience!? Hey, jerkweed, we’ve lost patience. If we’re going to be an Empire then we need to act like one. Empires don’t play by the same rules as other, “normal” nations. But we lack the stomach for that; we’re obsessed with so-called humanitarian concerns and the myth of the sanctity of all human life. Since we refuse to act like an Empire then we should pack up our toys and come home. Let the pit of Afghanistan sink into itself. We don’t really care about these people. Most Americans, including the infamous graphics guy at CNN, can’t find Afghanistan on a map of Asia.
If we are going to be constrained by the rules of “normal” nations then we should act like one: be focus solely on our direct national interests and let everyone else fend for themselves. If we are going to take on the burdens of Empire then we need to grow a pair and act like one. But like I said, we don’t like the mess and we are constantly worry that people don’t like us. So we get the worst of both worlds: the burdens and blame of Empire with the humanitarian constraint of ‘normal’ nations. What a crock!
Thomas the Wraith on July 25, 2007 at 10:36 AM
As far as prayer goes, God has given us and or allies everything we need in order for us to deal with the enemies that threaten us. Don’t get me wrong, I pray for the hostages. But we already have been equipped to deal with these beasts.
We should pray for the will to do the necessary killing required to completely defeat global Jihad.
Dork B. on July 25, 2007 at 10:42 AM
They also seem to downplay the fact that they were medical professionals. Christian doctors go to Afghanistan to minister by healing the sick, while Muslim doctors go to Scotland to minister in a completely different way.
I’ll see your Lohan and raise you a Graham. Two Lindsay’s for all the Koreans is a great trade if we can get it.
Nosferightu on July 25, 2007 at 11:02 AM
So release the Taliban prisoners – about six pieces each, I should think.
mojo on July 25, 2007 at 11:03 AM
The savages’ tamer co-religionists are busily bearing babies, some portion of which will be savages, and some portion of which will be more baby-bearers. Addition and subtraction are the two means of balancing our masses and theirs, or further unbalancing them. Subtraction works faster, as the murder of the South Korean shows. Those are some things for young American men and women to think about, as they both work to pay their tiny family’s big taxes.
Kralizec on July 25, 2007 at 11:07 AM
Take the men that they want released into a courtyard and, with video rolling, shoot them dead… You want them? Well, Allah’s got them now. 72 virgins, paradise, the whole nine yards.
While my heart goes out to the peaceful inhabitants in Afghanistan, we cannot continue to play by these rules. We lose every time.
God bless the Korean medical workers. I do think they were misguided in going to Afghanistan. I also think our response, as a whole, is misguided.
Babs on July 25, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Looks like the Iraqis are celebrating their win over South Korea with some random gunfire.
Egfrow on July 25, 2007 at 11:23 AM
I turned on Good Morning America this morning. Their top headlines were “Lindsey Lohan, bla bla bla.” I turned it off again after about 10 seconds.
PRCalDude on July 25, 2007 at 11:39 AM
This is disgusting.
And the MSM treats this like its a legitimate and honorable course of action for these savages to deliberately target and kidnap innocent civilians. That the Taliban is being ‘honorable’ in all this and its the fault of the Afghan government and South Korea (and BOOSH!) that this hostage had been killed.
Just as the MSM continues to give cover to these terrorists just like they did for Beslan.
This isn’t a ‘fringe group’ but mainline Islam in full flower.
God help the hostages and their families.
CrazyFool on July 25, 2007 at 11:47 AM
The Taliban is on the rise. They probably watch C-Span so they know they are winning.
This morning the Taliban warned the U.S. to stay out of the tribal areas or they would “fight to the last death”. U.S. to the Taliban: Your terms are acceptable.
TunaTalon on July 25, 2007 at 11:48 AM
I hate to say it and I know it will not win me friends of this site but we are failing in Afghanistan. They are gaining strength and territory. If some reports are to be believed this hostage crisis has generated huge amounts of cash for them, despite this gruesome murder. The Taliban are part of the culture of Afghanistan (such as it is). We cannot build a nation there, at least not in the Western sense. Six years, US deaths and unfathomable sums have only slowed them down.
Nation-building simply doesn’t work. In Germany and Japan we built States for nations that already existed. In Afghanistan and Iraq are not nations. They are geographical collections of pre-modern tribes, clans, ethnic fiefdoms and exclusionary sects. The only State that can bind these disparate elements together is a dictatorship, which our own squeamishness prohibits us from installing. We can stay in Iraq and Afghanistan for as long as we want, but the week after we leave the place will splinter and fragment in the most violent way imaginable.
In his piece this week Spengler says we need to accept the fact the genocide is a constant throughout history, not the rare, unspeakable event we in the pampered post-modern suburban 1st world like to imagine it is. We need to embrace the Cardinal Richelieu inside of us. In Defense of Genocide, Redux.
Thomas the Wraith on July 25, 2007 at 11:56 AM
This is the terror that we have to quash.
congsan on July 25, 2007 at 12:15 PM
Yousuf Ahmadi probably is waiting to see if Yale will accept him next term.
Islam loves to kill and terrorize the people without weapons and know how. The only thing that has held them back after 9/11 was our action and the men and women over there taking it to them every day.
Hening on July 25, 2007 at 12:19 PM
As you wish. They are Sub-human scum…
Jaibones on July 25, 2007 at 12:31 PM
I’ve been wondering the same thing myself lately – about exporting western democracies to countries that don’t seem to want them/know what to do with them.
I think it was an article posted here at HA, but I’m not sure. Anyhow, a week or so ago, I read an article that pointed out how post-war Germany and Japan didn’t immediately have democracies. For a good many years, it was pretty much martial law. The article also mentioned other countries that are rather peaceful (such as Singapore) that have never had a western-style democracy, but are ruled by a person that has no desire to hurt the U.S.
The point of the article being that we might need to rethink our nation building policy. If keeping the US safe from a foreign power and keeping the citizens of the foreign power safe from each other are the actual goals, a democracy might not be the best way to achieve this…..
JadeNYU on July 25, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Philipians 1:20-21:
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Magnifying Jesus Christ by being satisfied in Him in pain, suffering, and death was the passion of the Apostle Paul’s life. His passion was not to escape pain, escape disappointment, escape suffering. Rather, when Paul reflected deeply on the Absolute Eternal Value of his Treasure, Jesus Christ, that perspective even caused him to endure suffering, torture, and even death, for the sake of honoring Jesus Christ.
An unbelieving, dying world looks at these South Korean missionaries and think, “are they crazy? Don’t they know the inherent risks and dangers?”
But a transformed heart, arising out of faith alone, views Jesus Christ as such a supreme Treasure that to glorify Him (even in suffering and death) is of such valuable importance and joy for the believer.
It looks like these South Korean missionaries must have had the same perspective as the Apostle Paul.
ColtsFan on July 25, 2007 at 12:40 PM
I pray that our Christian brothers and sisters are released from the forces of Anti-Christ, in the Name of Jesus
apostle53 on July 25, 2007 at 12:41 PM
No one values human life more than God. Those who do not value human life, or put some sort of ‘cheap’ pricetag on it-will stand before God in Judgment.
I would love to see the rest of the Koreans released unharmed. But I doubt that they would want to be bartered at the cost of setting free terrorists-as others have noted, paying kidnappers only increases their activity-next time they would take more hostages-it’s like printing money.
Though it’s a very hard saying, if the hostages are Christian, they live or die for Christ.
Though not the same circumstance, the Korean Christians I am certain have faith in God to get them out of their fiery furnace:
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Borrowed from the book of Daniel, of course.
Doug on July 25, 2007 at 1:04 PM
In an isolated world with isolated causes and effects, I can really admire these people. But we do not live in such a world. The effects of this action might lead to South Korea pulling out their 200 trained doctors, nurses and engineers, easily offseting any good that these 23 would have done in the country. Also, it is VERY likely South Korea will pay some kind of ransom to the Taliban. This money will be used to kill, torture and kidnap others, only increasing the suffering in the area. This was misguided, foolish, and will result in more suffering than these people could ever make up for.
What South Korea should do is pull a Mel Gibson in the movie Ransom and tell them for every person they kill, they will send 1000 soldiers to Afganistan to fight the Taliban. Unfortunately, South Korea will probably vote for appeasement and give them the money.
uskorea on July 25, 2007 at 1:06 PM
Disgusting sub-human savages. I just pity that Curtis LeMay isn’t alive today. He had the right idea on how to deal with such animals.
madne0 on July 25, 2007 at 1:20 PM
I’m coming to support such views more and more.
madne0 on July 25, 2007 at 1:21 PM
uskorea,
I appreciate your sentiments, but I point out that immediately after you call the missionaries’ actions misguided and foolish, you explain how the government should deal with it properly, but likely won’t. That is a government issue, and how does it become the fault of those following their conscience?
Devout Christians go where they believe they are called to go, and earthly or governmental concerns do not factor in, only obedience to the will of God.
Freelancer on July 25, 2007 at 1:24 PM
Anyone think this is a golden opportunity for Lil’ Kim to play the hero? He’s probably already got a red line to the Taliban anyway. No one outside his own country and most US universities would believe him, but he could try to score “humanitarian” points by “negotiating” the release of the hostages.
Just like Jesse!
Hannibal Smith on July 25, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Excellent point Freelancer.
UsKorea:
As a Christian, I believe that God has ordained 2 different “spheres”, the sphere or realm of the church, and a separate sphere for the government.
It is important for Christians to never confuse the 2 different spheres. Both spheres have different functions, different purposes, and different goals, as ordained by God in the Bible. For example, the purpose of government is to enforce the laws, punish evil. The purpose of the church is radically different, preaching the gospel, mentoring others, visiting the sick, etc.
UsKorea, my only point is that I agree with you that appeasement is wrong. I agree with you that bribing Taliban or others is wrong.
The biblical message for every Christian missionary is this:
when you go to foreign, hostile lands to spread the gospel, you go there knowing that you may Die. You do not go there to expect the government to “eventually bail you out” or to “bribe” the enemy. You do not go there in order to have your relatives petition secular government in order to free you in times of trouble. Rather, we go into hostile countries for the sake of honoring Christ, our Supreme Treasure, with our deaths.
ColtsFan on July 25, 2007 at 1:48 PM
I am awed that the plight of these Christian hostages evoke on this blog expressions of faith and dependence upon God and his Sovereignty over all things; even history. The sacrificial act of God’s love that these Korean Christians express in their selfless service to Jesus Christ in even going to Afghanistan contrasted against the savagery of the faith of their murderorus captors is a witness that honors God. May God have mercy on them and may their Christ-like witness bear witness even to their captors.
apostle53 on July 25, 2007 at 2:08 PM
Thomas the Wraith
I hear you. Genocide is a constant throughout history. I can think of 6 or 7 examples in the 20th century alone. Seems to me like they covered a wide range of races and religions. Right now a significant portion of the Muslim world has the devil in them. We gotta fight that. Nation building looks like viable option to me. We can’t just let them go to hell and drag us down with them. Fight the good fight and never say die.
dingbat on July 25, 2007 at 3:04 PM
Father in Heaven, may Your children all over South Korea be cared for and watched over. May the brave souls who incur hatred and death for Your sake be seated at Your right hand in eternal life, with white robes shining.
May the enemies of freedom and righteousness, those animals that don’t even deserve the life You gave them or the blood that Christ shed for us, get what they deserve in Hell.
Ryan Gandy on July 25, 2007 at 3:10 PM
Yesterday yahoo had a headline that said something like “Korean kidnapping shows taliban getting stronger”…Yeah right, kidnapping unarmed Christians who are there to help really takes a lot of guts. pussy taliban, pussy media.
Locrian on July 25, 2007 at 3:10 PM
USKorea is exactly right, the ROK should send in MORE troops!
ROK Marines vs. The Taliban. That’d be like Mike Tyson vs. my 8 month old daughter.
Tony737 on July 25, 2007 at 3:37 PM
I think a “submit a tip” to Drudge in in order. He seems to not have gotten this information.
right2bright on July 25, 2007 at 3:42 PM
true marytrdom here
jobbalbo on July 25, 2007 at 5:08 PM
Well, in the state that Mike is these days i wouldn’t bet on him to win. Maybe by points.
madne0 on July 25, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Zetterson-
I like your tactical suggestion of how to deal with these subhuman Taliban maniacs: “to have their heads set on fire and the flames put out with sledgehammers“.
I wish Bush would institute this as our new ROE in Afghanistan for all such terrorists when caught. (And mandate the use of baconfat as the accelerant.)
profitsbeard on July 25, 2007 at 8:18 PM
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