Afghan prisoners (Taliban) swapped for German hostage

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/October/subcontinent_October482.xml§ion=subcontinent

13 October 2007

BERLIN - The German government pressured Kabul to release five prisoners from Afghan jails and handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure the release this week of a German engineer held hostage in Afghanistan for three months, a news report said on Saturday.

Der Spiegel news magazine said pressing President Hamid Karzai to release the five prisoners was a new departure for the German government.

Faced with repeated hostage crises, Berlin has always insisted: ”The German government cannot be blackmailed.” Nevertheless, there have been persistent reports that large sums have been paid for the release of German hostages in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rudolf Blechschmidt, a 62-year-old engineer, was released on Wednesday along with five Aghan men after they had spent more than two months in captivity in the central province of Maidan Wardak.

The Afghan government subsequently denied reports that five Taleban prisoners had been released in exchange.

[Turbineguy]

1. It's a beautiful thing

5 Taliban guys and the money to arm them.

Is this needed?:sarcasm:

[Disturbed]

2. Germans and other foreigners should learn their lesson.

Stay out of Afghanistan. Afghanis are sick & tired of foreigners trying to dominate them.