Someone with a lick of sense must have told the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades freakazoids who abducted three foreigners to let them go, pronto. (Need I add, “or else?”)

Palestinian Militants Release Activists.

Another classic headline that could have come from ScrappleFace.

NABLUS, West Bank - Palestinian gunmen abducted three foreign church volunteers, including an American, in the West Bank city of Nablus late Friday, releasing them several hours later under pressure from Palestinian authorities and other militants, Palestinian security officials said.

The reason for the abduction was not known, but it came two weeks after militants in Gaza snatched four French charity workers amid a political crisis that shook the authority of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The four French were also quickly released.

Five gunmen seized the foreigners — an American, a Briton and an Irishman — around midnight Friday as they were returning to the home where they were staying in Nablus, the officials said. The three were taken to the nearby Balata refugee camp.

Five foreign women accompanying the men were left unharmed. They refused to speak to reporters.

Security officials later said the three were freed, but gave few details. The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which is affiliated with Arafat’s Fatah movement, said earlier it was helping track down the kidnappers, who it said were believed to be from a splinter faction of Al Aqsa.