ISIS had also sought release of Pakistani scientist, others
The United States has strongly defended its refusal to negotiate with the Islamic State militants or pay the huge ransom of $133 million it had demanded for the release of slain journalist James Foley.
“We do not make concessions to terrorists. That includes – we do not pay ransoms,” State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said, adding: “We believe that paying ransoms or making concessions would put all Americans overseas at greater risk.” In e-mails sent to the Foley family, the ISIS had also demanded the release of Pakistani woman scientist Aafia Siddiqui and several other prisoners convicted of terrorism charges in the US.
Siddiqui, an MIT-trained neuroscientist with ties to Al Qaeda, was arrested in Afghanistan’s Ghanzi province in 2008. Flown back to the US, she was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison on charges of trying to kill American servicemen.
Justifying its firm stand, the Obama administration said on Thursday that paying ransom or making concessions to a terrorist organization would endanger Americans overseas at a time when it has been trying to degrade the capabilities of such outfits.
Significantly, GlobalPost, the Boston-based media outlet for which Foley was freelancing in Syria when he was captured by the ISIS in November 2012, was inclined to pay the ransom.
“Personally – and I know speak for the Foleys as well – we would’ve paid a ransom. We were working very hard to raise the money,” said Phil Balboni, co-founder and CEO of GlobalPost, said in an interview to NPR.
“It’s very easy to have these theoretical policies about not paying a ransom until you’re faced with the real life-and-death situation,” said Balboni, who along with the Foleys, had extensive conversations about the ransom demand with the US Government. While conceding that “giving money to these evil people is a very hard thing to do”, he said emphatically: “But speaking for myself and for John and Diane Foley, we were prepared to do it if we could raise the money.” At the Pentagon, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the United States, which recently launched a wave of airstrikes against the ISIS in northern Iraq, is now looking at all options to stop the group which, he noted, was exceptionally well-funded.
“They’re beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded,” Hagel said, adding: “We will continue to stay focused…on what we’re doing now and exploring all options as we go forward.”
On Thursday, the GlobalPost released an email sent by the ISIS 10 days ago to the Foley family, noting that several offers made for the journalist’s release have not been accepted. The terms have included not only payment of money, but also swap of prisoners.
“You were given many chances to negotiate the release of your people via cash transactions as other governments have accepted. We have also offered prisoner exchanges to free the Muslims currently in your detention like our sister Dr Afia Siddiqui, however you proved very quickly to us that this is not what you are interested in,” said the email, dated August 12, 2014.