Screenshot of Olaf Wiig (left) and Steve Centanni (right) in tape released after capture Fox News Channel journalists Olaf Wiig, a New Zealander photojournalist, and Steve Centanni, an American reporter, were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip by the Holy Jihad Brigades, a previously unknown group of Palestinian militants, from their TV van near the Palestinian security services' headquarters on August 14, 2006.[1] The Fox News Channel (FNC) is an American cable and satellite news channel. ...
Olaf Eric Wiig[1] is a New Zealander who is a freelance camera operator for CNN, Fox News Network and Television New Zealand. ...
Sports photojournalists at Indianapolis Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (i. ...
Photo of Steve Centanni reporting for the Fox News Channel. ...
The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ...
August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
No militant group initially claimed responsibility and no demands were made.[2] Only on 24 August, ten days after the kidnapping, was a video released of the men. The Holy Jihad Brigades demanded that all muslim prisoners in the United States be released within 72 hours. No indication has been given as to what will happen after this time if the demand is not met.[3] August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ...
The two were released on August 27, 2006, after a video was released with the two men stating they have converted to Islam.[4] August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ...
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Kidnapping A witness saw two vehicles blocking the journalist's transmission truck and a masked man put a gun to their bodyguard's head, forcing him to the ground.[5] [6] [edit]
Efforts to free the men [edit]
Media organisations In an internal message by Fox News Channel Senior Vice President John Moody confirmed the abduction and warned about reporting on the story.[7] Fox sent executive Ken LaCorte to the region to press for their release. [8]
Al-Jazeera called for the "immediate release" of the journalists and "in adherence to its code of ethics, reiterates its rejection of attacks of any kind on journalists from any organisation. Al Jazeera calls for the immediate release of the two kidnapped colleagues."[9] It should also be noted that Aljazeera. ...
Journalist Fares Akram, who works in the same building Wiig did, said he thinks Palestinian officials have information on Wiig's captors and their location. Hole said he has "seen those reports too, but nothing's come through to us that changes the current situation."[10]
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New Zealand New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark expressed concern for Wiig's safety and said "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was alerted by British authorities this morning. New Zealand diplomats are traveling to the region to work with other officials and governments on the release of Mr Wiig and his colleague."[11] The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealands head of government and is the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. ...
For other persons named Helen Clark, see Helen Clark (disambiguation). ...
Her Majestys Government, or when the sovereign is male, His Majestys Government, abbreviated HMG, is the formal title used by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the governments of some other kingdoms where executive authority is theoretically vested in the monarch...
Jan Henderson, NZ Ambassador to Turkey and Israel, arrived in Gaza on August 15. She met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian leaders who were "very upset" about the kidnapping. Henderson said, "They assured me they are doing all they can, they take this matter extremely seriously, and we are looking for a very quick and peaceful resolution to this particular kidnapping. The Palestinian Authority has offered every cooperation. They are very upset. They have condemned the kidnapping, and they assured me they are doing everything they can for a quick and speedy resolution."[12] After meeting with Abbas, Prime Minister Clark said, "On hearing of the kidnapping he had instructed the security apparatus of the Palestinian Authority to work to locate the kidnappers and secure the release...[13] President Abbas was very fulsome in what he said. His parting comment was `these people are our guests and we will do whatever we can to help'."[14] August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ...
Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: Ù…Øمود عباس) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن), was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005, and took office on January 15, 2005. ...
The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ...
The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ...
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Rob Hole said there were no developments as of August 18, but said that NZ diplomats were "still active in talking but also active in waiting as well, so no breakthrough at all." Ambassador Henderson and the NZ consul to Egypt Brian Chambers have met with officials from the Palestinian, British, American and Australian foreign ministries. Senior diplomat Peter Rider is on his traveling to the Middle East and will replace Henderson, who is returning to New Zealand.[15] August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Consul (abbrev. ...
A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...
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Hostages' families Wiig's wife, Anita McNaught, told New Zealand radio from Gaza City that she only heard "rumours, sons of rumours … none of which we give much credence to" and that kidnappings in the region were "local entrepreneurial banditry".[16] She is currently in Gaza city working with Fox news staff to find Wiig. McNaught said that although it was unusual for so much time to pass without news, "every kidnapping is different. There is no handbook for how you do them." She expressed hope for a breakthrough in the case in the next few days and said she was meeting with several senior officials.[17] If Wiig is released, McNaught says it is unlikely they will soon leave the area.[18] Anita McNaught is a BBC World television presenter. ...
Radio New Zealand Limited is New Zealands public service radio broadcaster. ...
The article is about the Middle Eastern city. ...
On August 17 the United States State Department condemned the kidnappings and called for the journalists to be freed immediately. Clark phoned Wiig's family and offered her support and left a message with McNaught. Wiig's family said they were "deeply grateful for the care that is being extended to us and for the prime minister's direct call to us."[19] August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ...
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Harmeet Sooden press release Harmeet Singh Sooden, an Auckland University student who was held captive in Iraq for four months by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, appealed to the kidnappers in a press statement on August 17. Harmeet Singh Sooden (born 1973) is a Canadian peace activist working with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq. ...
The University of Auckland is New Zealands largest research-based university by student numbers. ...
The Swords of Righteousness Brigade (sometimes translated as the Swords of Truth Brigade) is a terrorist group who have kidnapped four Western peace activists in Iraq, and held them as hostages since 26 November 2005. ...
August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
"During our captivity in Iraq, virtually all of Palestine called for our release. Today, I implore those holding Olaf Wiig and Steve Centanni to free them immediately and unharmed. Norman Kember and Harmeet Singh Sooden were held hostage, as depicted here on Al Jazeera television. ...
It is essential that we, the public, understand the greater context within which the kidnapping has taken place. Thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of women and children, have been kidnapped by Israeli forces as part of a campaign to murder a nation under the aegis of the United States. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces...
I also call upon the media to fulfil its obligations and report the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and desist from counter-productive speculation and commoditizing private trauma. Israel and the Occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip are at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ...
I wish the negotiating team, which includes New Zealand diplomats, success.
- Harmeet Sooden[20]
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Release On August 27, the Palestinian news service Ramattan and FOX News reported[21] that Centanni and fellow captive Wiig were released unharmed, shortly after a new video was released. In the video, both journalists, wearing beige robes, read statements saying that they had converted to Islam, with Centanni stating "Islam is not just meant for some people; it is the true religion for all people at all times." [21] After being freed Steve Centanni stated "We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint, and don't get me wrong here, I have the highest respect for Islam, and learned a lot of very good things about it, but it was something we felt we had to do, because they had the guns, and we didn't know what the hell was going on." [21] August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...
For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ...
Screenshot of Steve Centanni (left) and Olaf Wiig (right) in interview with Greta Van Susteren After their return to New York, Centanni and Wigg gave an interview with Greta Van Susteren on her FOX program On the Record. According to Wiig, the kidnappers were convinced that Centanni worked for the CIA in part because of his presence as a journalist at the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein in Iraq, and that they intended to kill Centanni. Nevertheless, they repeatedly promised both men they would soon be freed. McNaught, who was in Damascus covering the war in Lebanon, rushed to Gaza; she says "Everything has changed now in Gaza. This was an unforeseen and tragic event that has shocked Gazans to the core." Jennifer Griffin, a FOX correspondent who was closely involved in negotiations to free the two, said "We met with warlords. We met with head of Hamas, Fatah, Al Aqsa Brigade, popular resistance committees. Islamic Jihad offered to help us." At one point, Griffin and others were taken to a tense meeting with top members of various Palestinian groups. [22] Greta Van Susteren, on FOX News. ...
On the Record is an American current affairs television program on the Fox News Channel. ...
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an intelligence agency of the United States Government. ...
Uday Hussein Uday Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti (June 18, 1964 Baghdad – July 22, 2003 Mosul) Arabic: عدي صدام Øسين; also transliterated as Odai) was the eldest son of Saddam Hussein and his first wife, Sajida Talfah. ...
Qusay Hussein Qusay Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti (or Qusai) (May 17, 1966 - July 22, 2003) was the second son of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
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See also - 2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis
[edit] Norman Kember and Harmeet Singh Sooden were held hostage, as depicted here on Al Jazeera television. ...
References [edit] 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...
August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...
August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...
2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
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