captives news stories on Newser

Somali Pirates Torturing Hostages

Matt Cantor — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:59:18 CST

Somali pirates beat, tortured, and threatened to kill captured South Korean sailors, the Telegraph reports. “Pirates trampled and beat me whenever I talked with my captain,” said one of the seven rescued sailors, who went home yesterday. “I lost my four front teeth after being hit by the elbow of...

Taliban Video Claims to Be Captured US Soldier

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:59:22 CST

The Taliban today released a video purporting to show a US soldier who was captured more than five months ago in eastern Afghanistan. In the video a man is shown seated, facing the camera, wearing sunglasses and what appears to be a US military helmet and uniform. He identifies himself...

Taliban Threatens to Kill Captured American Soldier

M. Morris — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:59:01 CDT

The Taliban says it will execute a captured American soldier if the US does not withdraw from two districts in southeastern Afghanistan, the Voice of America reports. A Taliban rep said today the soldier is healthy but will be killed if operations in Paktika and Ghazni continue. The fate of...

1M-Plus March for Colombian Hostages

Dustin Lushing — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:50:00 CDT

More than a million people marched in Bogota, Columbia and other world capitals today demanding the freedom of captives held hostage by leftist rebels in the Columbian jungle, AFP reports. Recently liberated captive Ingrid Betancourt led chants of "No More hostages" in Paris on Columbia's independence day, as famous musicians...

FARC Will Punish Remaining Captives: Ex-Hostage

Matt Cantor — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:15:54 CDT

Speaking to the media for the first time since his rescue Wednesday, a former FARC captive warned that remaining hostages would face retribution over the escape, CNN reports. “Right now, they're being punished because we got rescued,” said US government contractor Marc Gonsalves. They’ll be made to don heavy backpacks...

Fritzl Told Victims He'd Gas Them

Matt Cantor — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:16:47 CDT

Josef Fritzl threatened to gas his captive daughter and their children if they tried to escape, the Guardian reports, claiming he had rigged a toxic-gas system in the basement. Meanwhile, the possibility of an accomplice arose for the first time today, when a 12-year lodger at the house said he...

They're Lucky They're Not in Guantánamo

Sophie Goldstein — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:57:17 CDT

Iran's British captives may be embarrassed and anxious, but they appear to be better off than many detainees in American and British hands, observes novelist Ronan Bennett. "They have not been hung from a forklift truck and photographed for the amusement of their captors. They have not had electrodes attached...

British Captives Standoff Stiffens

Colleen Barry — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:17:15 CDT

London and Tehran and ratcheted up the rhetoric over the 15 British soldiers being held captive in Iran yesterday, the LA Times reports: Britain got the UN Security Council to issue a statement of "grave concern," while Tehran released more video of sailors professing guilt and issued charts and satellite...

Iran Promises Female Soldier's Release

Colleen Barry — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:08:49 CDT

Iran promised to release by Friday the female sailor captured along with 15 men in a British patrol boat last week. England stepped up pressure to free the soldiers by cutting off "bilateral business" and publicizing secret documents which mark its boat nearly two miles from Iranian waters at the...