BOSTON -- Two Fox News Channel journalists kidnapped in Gaza two weeks ago told a harrowing story after their release Sunday, a day after a deadline set by the kidnappers ran out. It wasn't immediately clear under what circumstances Fox News national correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, had been released after 13 days in captivity. The release occurred after the captors forced the two journalists to say on videotape that they had converted to Islam. A number of groups, including the Palestinian government and the New Zealand government, had been working to release the two captives. Apparently playing an instrumental role were Jerusalem bureau chief Eli Fastman, Fox News contributor and former Mideast ambassador Dennis Ross and Fox News Mideast correspondent Jennifer Griffin. The U.S. State Department last week had rejected the kidnappers' demands to release "Muslim prisoners" being held.
- 8/27/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Two Fox News Channel journalists who were kidnapped last week in Gaza were seen on a videotape sent by the captors, who demanded that the U.S. release "Muslim prisoners, male and female" within 72 hours. The Holy Jihad Brigades, a previously unknown terrorist group, released the video Wednesday that showed an apparently unharmed Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig. Centanni and Wiig were kidnapped by gunmen Aug. 14 as they sat in their clearly marked sport utility vehicle near Palestinian security headquarters in Gaza. Until Wednesday, there had been no word on who had kidnapped the men. Palestinian officials and militant groups like Hamas had joined the calls for the men's release, saying that they had been here as guests of the Palestinians and needed to be treated as such.
- 8/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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