Somalis reduce ransom for Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan

Last week the Somali fixer who had been kidnapped along with Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan was released. Now the kidnappers have reduced their initial ransom demand of $2.5 million for Amanda and Nigel down to $100,000.

Paying these kidnappers only encourages more kidnappings and the money goes towards terrorists. Hopefully Amanda and Nigel are released quickly without having to pay the ransom. National Post

Somali kidnappers holding Alberta journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan have reportedly dropped their ransom demand to US$100,000, the head of a Somalia press freedom organization said yesterday.

Dad Abdi Daud, executive director of Mogadishu-based Somali Journalists Rights Agency, said the new ransom demand, which is a drop from the original US$2.5 million demanded by a tribal chief involved in the negotiations in September, signalled a positive development in the plight of Ms. Lindhout, 27, and Mr. Brennan, 35, who were kidnapped at gunpoint outside the Somali capital of Mogadishu last August.

"Now they want $100,000," said Mr. Daud, in a telephone interview yesterday with Canwest News Service. "You can see the difference."

....