You may have read the good news that the two Italian women kidnapped in Iraq had been released unharmed.

Now the bad news; they were released because the Italian government paid a $1 million ransom, money that will be used by the mujahideen to buy more weapons and stage more kidnappings. (Hat tip: Ethel Carol.)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The release of two Italian aid workers in Iraq has raised hopes other hostages may soon be freed, but reports that a large ransom was paid may only feed the burgeoning hostage crisis.

The two Italians, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, both 29, were freed on Tuesday after three weeks in captivity.

They had been seized along with two Iraqi colleagues from a central Baghdad office in a brazen attack witnesses described as very organized and probably carried out by a criminal gang.

Italy rejoiced in the women’s freedom on Wednesday, but there were reports a substantial ransom had been paid.

Gustavo Selva, an Italian lawmaker, told French radio a ransom of around $1 million — a sum already mentioned in Arabic media reports in recent days — had been handed over.

“In principle, we shouldn’t give in to blackmail but this time we had to. Although it’s a dangerous path to take because, obviously, it could encourage others to take hostages, either for political reasons or for criminal reasons,” Selva told RTL.

“The sum ($1 million) is probably correct,” he added.