Hey, where's my hat tip? ;-)

The lady is a tramp the enemy.

Sounds like payment for services rendered.

In other news, she has been nominated for some sort of presitgious German journalism award.

[Link: www.spiegel.de...]

I'll bet that there's a job waiting for her at the U.N...

Be sure you don't question her patriotism.

#3 rockman

Indeed, and although I posted this on the other thread earlier I'll post it here again:

Apparently, there's a temporal nexus between ransom $$$ and increased jihadi "activities". Who'd have thunk...

[Link: www.tcsdaily.com...]

Gotcha

Ummm... you get what you pay for? Or perhaps; you pay for what you get?

Fremd ist der Fremde nur in der Fremde.

And that, boys and girls, is one of the many reasons why you never negotiate with hostage takers. This is one of the many bad scenarios which come from regularly doing so.

Beautiful.

The left :
a tale of treason and money.

/A tale nearly one hundred years old: the Germans paid Lenin and gave him a TRAIN to reach Russia. His subversion will allow the Germans to win on the East front in WW I and carry on the war on the West front another year.

The girl is leninist indeed.

Will Richard Gere buy the rights to the story for making Pretty Woman 2?

Let me also repeat this before I shoot off.

The consulate staff who found the cash on her immediately called Berlin for advice. IMHO, they were told to keep it hush since, "officially" Germany does not pay ransom money, not in this case or in any other.

As of this afternoon, the government is neither denying or confirming this story.

Indeed, from what I understand from German news reports, Osthoff even got to keep the money to spend on posh clothes in a Bahrain shopping spree.

In any case, Merkel and that new Foreign Minister are in deep shit, which is a good thing, considering how many US soliders and innocent Iraqis are right now being maimed and killed courtesy of the ransom cash.

She didn't believe her kidnappers were crimminals. They were capitalists (or co-conspirators).

I would like to see a law where Iraqi government says that for every $1 spent in ransome - $5 will be paid for dead or alive rewards for the kidnappers.

Maybe the German government or a CIA-arm of it is helping to fund the insurgency, and the "ransom" payment was a cover all along. They helped fund Arafat, after all. And many of the "hostages" like Osthoff are obviously on the other side.

Is she now on the American no-fly list?

Can we consider Germany as a terrorism supporting state?

I can just see President Bush almost rolling on the floor in laughter.

What a wonderful punishment for the German government for paying ransom.

Look I 've actually heard rumors that some of the ransom money the world has been giving the PLO actually made it into Mrs Arafat's bank. No,really.

(I mean, Germany funded with intent... maybe the Germans intend to fund the insurgency all along, Osthoff was known to them all along, and her "hostage" crisis was manufactured by the insurgents and Germany together.)

Thank you, Germany, for either 1) paying off real terrorists (who use that money to purchase weapons to kill our soldiers or 2) paying off fake terrorists which encourages real terrorists to kidnap civilians. Not to mention the disservice you do your own citizens, who are now much more attractive targets for real kidnappers.

Germany is rapidly moving into a grey area along the continuum of Friend->Foe.

I can just see President Bush almost rolling on the floor in laughter. What a wonderful punishment for the German government for paying ransom.

What punishment? Maybe it is Schroeder and his allies within the German government who are laughing at us. They slip money to the insurgents fighting the US, probably through many vehicles inlcuding fake hostage crises, and all they get is an "I told you so" finger rapping from the US saps Condoleeza Rice and George Bush, who continue to rely on the Germans for diplomacy with Iran, which also goes nowhere.

Does anyone see a pattern here?

Perhaps the kidnappers just gave her some cash for
"mad money" in case her "date" with German officials didn't go well!
I mean she did say that the kidnappers told her they had only kidnapped her because they couldn't grab an American who are holed up in the fortified Green Zone.
Traitorous bitch. Merkel, I mean, not Osthoff.

That scummy bitch actually took a shower?

Perhaps the kidnappers just gave her some cash for
"mad money" in case her "date" with German officials didn't go well!
I mean she did say that the kidnappers told her they had only kidnapped her because they couldn't grab an American who are holed up in the fortified Green Zone.
Traitorous bitch. Merkel, I mean, not Osthoff.

So is she a spy, a con-artist, or sympathizing leftist bitch?

"...officials at the German embassy in Baghdad had found several thousand U.S. dollars in the 43-year-old German archaeologist's clothes...

Euros no good?

She's one sick puppy and deserves to be 'put down'...

What a horrendous slap in the faces of the families of the REAL hostages who were beheaded and filmed...

*itch.

Without citing its sources, Focus said officials at the German embassy in Baghdad had found several thousand U.S. dollars in the 43-year-old German archaeologist’s clothes when she took a shower at the embassy shortly after being freed.

I'm sorry, but there is some dirt you just can't wash off. The stink carries with you where ever you go.

I always remember the saying, follow the money.

Tell me more about how marvelous diplomacy is.

Finally - I was having no luck at all going to other threads or posting on this thread for quite a while.
Anyone else with these problems?

Another kidnap story, this one related to the Christian Science Monitor reporter.

AP reporting that a "Muslim advocacy group" has arrived in Baghdad to plead for Jill Carroll's release.

"We are the only people who have come from outside of Iraq to call for Jill's release and we are very hopeful they will hear our message on behalf of American Muslims," Nihad Awad, the group's executive director said at Baghdad International Airport. "Harming her will do (the kidnappers) no good at all. The only way is to release her."

Wow, about time, right?

The advocacy group is CAIR.
Insert your sarcastic remark here.

Well now I can't get to the Saturday open thread - it gets there but the only thing there is "Scroll to Top of Thread" which of course doesn't work.

Charles, if you're out there I e-mailed you about this (and about a donation for LGF) can you please respond to my e-mail when you get a chance? Thanks.

Two days after her release, the German government freed a Hizbollah member jailed for life in 1985 for the murder of a U.S. Navy diver. Berlin has denied a connection between the two events.

Perhaps this story is merely an attempt to divert US attention from the more despicable act of freeing the POS Hizbollah terrorist.

Now, for those who'd like to read a GOOD article on objectivity in journalism, written by (believe it or not) someone at the NY Times,

David Brooks' speech here.

The top part of the page is a charming speech by Nat Henthoff, but scroll down and read Brooks' article.

Why would this story surprise ANYONE? How pathetic.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What a tool.

Hah, Rush was right again. He found this Osthoff hostage situation fishy as hell from the beginning.

Only a dew thousand dollars found in her clothes?
ok,
how many millions of dollars in paid ransom will make their way into arms dealers pockets?

I'm sure the Germans paid more than a few thousand.

It looks like a rat, smells like a rat, acts like a rat = Osthoff

#25 Simple Voice 1/21/2006 10:03AM PST
So is she a spy, a con-artist, or sympathizing leftist bitch?

What are yes, yes, and yes, Alex?

They found money on her clothes.
i wonder if they found any semen as well.

The Krauts paid way too much. Now if they found a few quarters on her, well maybe that would be about right.
ps, they should have paid off in Shekels, or at least pieces of silver.

I don´t believe the story.

She had a lot of money (US$) with her, when she was kidnapped (to pay for her "project"). I think, the jihadis took her money away and returned her the sum when she was released. The kidnappers didn´t care which money it was.

On a related note, and because Charle's open thread ain't working (hint Charles, get off your arse and entertain me):

Why exactly is it that I should give a shit, as an American, about the fate of Jill Carrol? I mean, how often do I have to be reminded that journalists are objective and don't take sides in the battle. Having said that, if she doesn't consider herself to be an American in doing her job, why should I once she gets caught.

As far as I'm concerned, she's just a member of some foreign country called journalandia that I don't particularly care for. I know there's exceptions to this, but let's all recall that mike wallace once said that he wouldn't warn American troops of an impending attack becuase he's a journalist. Well, here we are and please remind me why I should care in return?

Please keep in mind that I wish no ill will on this person, I don't know her. I'm just slightly offended that it's being put to the public that she's an American. Her type have shown repeated lack of care of other Americans for fear of losing their objectivity so I guess I'l return the favor.

Arrest her.

Using the pre-9/11 Law Enforcement mentality of most lefties, wouldn't this be evidence of her own involvement? Or at least probable cause?

Wow so they let Hamadi off for nothing in exchange? Yes I know the bs about it having been approved by the regional kourts months in advance, but then why wasn't he offered to the US for additional prosecution after the slap on the wrist he got for murdering a US citizen? Whats the statute of limitation on hijacking a US airliner anyway? At this point the Germans are surpassing even the French in their appeasement endeavors.

I am not at all surprised by this. She was so comfortable with this deception that she assumed that the German government would have no problem with it, and who knows, maybe they don't.

+Photi

Let's see: German gets kidnapped -> Germany pays terrorists ransom -> terrorists buy weapons with ransom -> German arms dealers make money -> German economy improves!

Folks that's called circular capitalism!

Now I think Germany owes a lot of apologies all the way around!

Long before the ransom was paid, the nose of these lizards knew that things were not right with the German lady "hostage". The lizard smell test is supurb but pales in comparisom to the lizard fact check test. Right Dan? Mary?

If she had ransom money on her, then the German government would know that this was a fraud and so was she. Why was she not arrested for defrauding the German government? I do not for a minute think the Germans would just let this slide. The only logical explanation is that the whole deal was made up to begin with and was a front for transfering funds to the terrorists. She was said to have worked for German inteligence before. Nothing else makes sense.

Rednaxela said

"officially" Germany does not pay ransom money, not in this case or in any other.

Is that why

several thousand U.S. dollars

were found in her possession?

I thought Iraq had their own currency? Is the US note the standard for terrorist negotiations?

44 zuckerlilly

I think, the jihadis took her money away and returned her the sum when she was released. The kidnappers didn´t care which money it was.

Not trying to be a smart a$$, just want to know if you really believe that is a possibility or did you forget to add the /sarc tag? Hard to imagine them caring about making sure she got her money back.

Let's see...
a "women" who takes money for services rendered...? anyone... anyone...

This is why you don't make deals with "terrorists".

This is truely what we mean when we talk about 'fuck you money.'

54 cfomahm 1/21/2006 02:11PM PST

First: I don´t like Susanne Osthoff.

Second: fact is, that O. had about US$ 14000 with her, when she was kidnapped. After her release she told al Jazeera, that the kidnappers were "no criminals". Criminals wouldn´t have returned her the money. Political kidnappers would maybe, because they don´t want to robber the hostage, their intention is to robber the government. It´s a question of "honor".

Osthoff is a psychic disordered person from a malfunctioning family. But she isn´t that crazy that she would carry along the ransom with her to the embassy.

There is probably a perfectly legitimate explainatin for this.

Maybe her terrorist kidnappers just cashed some travelers checks for her before they let her go.

#58 suckerlilly

Second: fact is, that O. had about US$ 14000 with her, when she was kidnapped. After her release she told al Jazeera, that the kidnappers were "no criminals". Criminals wouldn´t have returned her the money. Political kidnappers would maybe, because they don´t want to robber the hostage, their intention is to robber the government. It´s a question of "honor".

Hey, genius, they found the SERIAL NUMBERS of the ransom money on the money she was carrying. IT WAS THE SAME MONEY, NOT her money they had RETURNED to her.

60 Lady of Shalott (ylreveb) 1/21/2006 03:26PM PST

I know, but maybe they confused the money. On the other side, the money was sewed in her clothes. But I cant believe that she is that stupid.

#61 zuckerlilly

How the hell does one mistake serial numbers?

Osthof is a muslim.
Guess where her alliances are.

Osthoff is a psychic disordered person from a malfunctioning family.

Ah, now I understand. The catch-all defense...

#58 zuckerlilly

First, you should believe the story, because she was found with the money on her and that's the story.

Second, this chick is REALLY stupid no matter what, because:

A) if you correct re:

Second: fact is, that O. had about US$ 14000 with her, when she was kidnapped.

She's a moron for carrying that much money on her person ANYWHERE, and certainly Iraq.

B) if the money was her share of the random, she's stupid to take it to the German embassy and leave it in her clothes to be found.

C) all of the above.

Take your pick, she's an idiot.

Oh, that bill has "E 41656851 F" on it. I thought it had "j 30690787 A" on it. My bad...

Take your pick, she's an idiot.

I agree ;-))

A) is a fact. Where are the US$ 14000 now? Why should she have taken some thousend US$ from the ransom money with the serial numbers noted when she coud have taken "clean" money?

To recap a couple of things:

This scummy Muslima revert would rather scam the German government to the benefit of her jihadi friends than be with her family, from whom she is estranged. She keeps her daughter in an Internet (boarding school) while she humps her slutty ass around Iraq.

There is compelling reason to suspect that the temporal nexus between her release and that of Mr. Stethem's killer in Germany.

Germany will neither confirm nor deny the payment of ransom or the release of Hammadi (?) in connection with the case.

This has the potential to become a full-blown international scandal with Germany's functionaries at the center.

Does anyone know the name and CV of the new German foreign minister?

Sorry: "There is compelling reason to suspect that the temporal nexus between her release and that of Mr. Stethem's killer in Germany is not a coincidence."

Hmmm.

Considering how many lefty "journalists" have been kidnapped in Iraq lately I really do wonder if there isn't an element of collusion involved.

I belive that this Christian Science Monitor chick thats kidnapped right now is all a ruse, as well. On her video, she is the least scared hostage i've ever seen. I've heard numerous reports that she was all about "empathising" with the Iraqi people, and their "mistreatment" at the hands of the bad ole' U.S.A. Sorry to come off as an asshole, but I care not one whit about any journalist that gets captured. They all seem to be trying to make America look bad, anyway. Let's send Cronkite, asap.

Smells like a win-win collaborative fund raising event was had, with collaboration between the "kidnappers" and the "kidnappee", and with a kickback to the cooperative tool.

According to this site (in German) the government has now confirmed that they found the money on Osthoff:

[Link: www.bild.t-online.de...]

#71 The Drizzle

Now, that I don't believe.

Jill Caroll doesn't seem to be that type. Beyond that, when it's the cash the jihadis are after, they have a preference for "kidnapping" German and Fwench "journalists".

There are a number of comments asking who in Germany is responsible for the hostage fiasco and paying off the kidnappers? Well, it is clearly not the foreign ministry, and certainly not the ridiculous Bundeswehr, which is simply a collection of comic opera style armed forces dressed-up in the uniforms of the great Wehrmacht, minus the swastika. No, it is a little more complicated.

Most observers had hoped that, unlike the Bundeswehr, the German foreign intelligence service would not collapse, but no. For most of the War, the Ausland Sicherheitsdient (SD), was under the direction of SS-Brigadefuhrer Walter Schellenburg, a moral and intellectual pigmy. However, we have now seen the emergence of someone beneath even the low standard set by Schellenburg.

The aging schoolgirl, Ms. Merkel, has seen fit to appoint one Ernst Uhrlau to run the Ausland SD (which is now masquerading as the BND) One supposes that Uhrlau is using the title of "Direktor" rather than "SS-Obergruppenfuhrer" (a Lt.General), which is just as well, as he clearly does not have the brains of an "SS-Rottenfuhrer" (a corporal).

Anyway, there is your man. An obvious fool and poltroon!

Fellow Traveler's Cheques?

I've been doing some more research into all this an here's something interesting Osthoff said in the first sentence of her first interview after her "release" -- yes, that would be the one with her wearing that tent:

Slomka: Wie haben Sie die letzten drei Wochen erlebt?

Osthoff: Das waren nicht drei Wochen, das war genau ein Monat, vom Freitag, den 25.11., wo ich betonen will, freitags haben alle Banken und öffentlichen Läden - zu Ihrer Information - geschlossen. Nicht dass irgendwelche Journalisten wieder auf Ideen kommen, ich hätte da Gelder transferiert, nur zur Information, dass Sie mal Fakten wissen.

[Link: www.heute.de...]

Basically, what she is saying is that since she was "kidnapped" on a Friday and all the banks were closed it was impossible for her to have tranferred any money.

Now she sounds very confused and it sure doenst make much sense but I think the main point is that without any prompting of any sort, without any allegations, she is already out there trying to create alibis for something no one had accused her of.

No one seems to be asking some more questions. Who was the person in the hotel room with her? Why would they know the serial numbers of the cash? Why did the feel the need to look? Why did this information take so long to be released? Why was she labled as a German spy then an opporunist?

It may have more to do with the Germans using it's spies to undermine the efforts of US efforts inside of Iraq. It may seem thier is a spy inside the German spies.

I think this news brings up more questions than answers.

#78 Egfrow

To be honest, I think you're questions have been answered.

Q:Who was the person in the hotel room with her?

A: What hotel? If you mean the German embassy in Baghdad, the people with here were embassy staff.

Q: Why would they know the serial numbers of the cash?

A: Because people who pay ransoms usually make a note of those.

Q: Why did the feel the need to look?

A: Because that's part of the debriefing process.

Q: Why did this information take so long to be released?

A: It hasn't been released. Embassy staffers leaked it to the media. The German govenrment insists it does not pay ransom money, so they were trying to supress this information from getting out.

Q: Why was she labled as a German spy then an opporunist?

A: Because that's what she is. As for the spy part, that's unconfirmed.

Lets not get all immersed in wacko conspiracy theories here. All we know at this stage is that she was purportedly "kidnapped", that a ransom was paid for her release and that she ended up with part of that ransom in here possession.

#58 zuckerlily

Second: fact is, that O. had about US$ 14000 with her, when she was kidnapped. After her release she told al Jazeera, that the kidnappers were "no criminals". Criminals wouldn´t have returned her the money. Political kidnappers would maybe, because they don´t want to robber the hostage, their intention is to robber the government. It´s a question of "honor".

They found the money at the embassy before the interview. Maybe she only said she had that much money on her when she was kidnapped to cover-up why she had that amount on her at the embassy.

You seem to share her opinion that the Jihadist are not criminals but men of honour.

I agree with several folks that the Jill Carroll "kidnapping" was a set-up by persons unknown for motives unknown. At first I thought she would be killed as a way to alienate the Press from the Administration. "Bush wanted reporters dead." With CAIR suddenly showing up, I think it is a move by CAIR to win favor with the Press. If only CAIR can get Carroll released it will still prove to the Press that "Bush wants reporters dead." We'll see how this plays out but look for an even closer alliance between CAIR and the Press.

Methinks Frau Merkel has a pantload in her Dirndl. If this story is true, she's toast.

80 Elle Plater 1/21/2006 09:32PM PST

You seem to share her opinion that the Jihadist are not criminals but men of honour.

That´s really unfair. None of the hostages who were released by the jihadis was personally robbed. They all got their things back bevor they were released.

I think that Osthoff was an idiot, arrogant - because she was warned over an over again - and that she was a cheap opportunity for the jihadis to make money. They knew that Germany would pay a ransom.

You seem to muddle up a possible explanation I present here with my personal opinion. A one sided view and interpretation would us make as idiots as the kos kids.

#83 zuckerlilly

Hmmm, normally I'd cut you some slack but in #61 you said:

I know, but maybe they confused the money.

Which sort of disqualifies you from being taken seriously here.

84 rednaxela 1/22/2006 06:26AM PST

Look: she had some thousend dollars with her when she was kidnapped. Where is the money? Now she has some thousend dollars with here, but from the ransom. Do you really believe, that she is so stupid to let the jihadis the "clean" money and to take the ransom with her to the German Embassy? Only some thousends dollars? For what reason?

#85 zuckerlilly

What makes you so sure she had $$$ with her when she was "kidnapped"?

Stupid people do stupid things.

And liars lie.

In any case, I am not going to second guess why this wacko woman did what she did or did not do.

Wackos do wacko things.

All I know is that she alleges to have been "kidnapped" by people who were "not criminals".

What I also know is that that emabarrassment of a German "government" paid $$$ to get her "released" and that she ended up with part of the ransom in her possession.

To be perfectly frank, if I were you, I'd cut my losses at this stage and quit while I was still ahead, albeit very marginally.

Osthoff will sue. Her rights were violated when they searched her clothes. Imagine getting a search warrant against a poor whittle innocent hostage. There was no grounds for such a warrant. It profiled. Another Bellyfountain Gestapo running the German Embassy?

rednaxela 1/22/2006 06:57AM PST

What makes you so sure she had $$$ with her when she was "kidnapped"?

She was on the way to her "social project" for what she had the money with her. Money from the German government.

All I know is that she alleges to have been "kidnapped" by people who were "not criminals".

This is really embarassing not only for me but for most of the Germans (although I´m not a German, it is as embarrasing for me as for you). What I´ve tried to explain is, what she probably could have ment with this stupid words: "criminals" robb their hostages jihadis don´t. I would prefere when medias would be more carefully i.e.: O. never said she would like to return to Iraq. It was a complete wrong translation by one media. But everybody identifies here with these words.

I agree with you that she is an idiot and she is an agressiv person with a proto-fascist language. Although she is very talented and very intelligent with a very good education (for which her father hated her, because he hated people with good education an therefore his children were not allowed to have one. She was the only one of her siblings who could achieve her goals) she never got a fixed job because of her strange personality.

Another question: why wasn´t she arrested by the BKA, which questioned her for three days in the German Embassy and they knew that she had ransom money with her?

Why went she back to Germany for interviews where she could have been arrested every moment?

What I want to say is: don´t judge bevore you have the right facts.

And let me say one thing at least: the German "Bild"-Zeitung is not a good source.

#88 zuckerlilly

Another question: why wasn´t she arrested by the BKA, which questioned her for three days in the German Embassy and they knew that she had ransom money with her?

As I understand it, at that time they were still putting forth the lie that they didn't pay any ransom. So arresting her would have been admitting they lied about it and did indeed pay the ransom.

#89 CTP

Exactly.

89 christheprofessor 1/22/2006 07:58AM PST

Yes this is a point and I noted it here in a German discussion board some hours bevore:

Frau O. bliebe aus politischen Motiven unbehelligt (BND, Lösegeldzahlungen etc.).

(Guggi is my nick in Germany)

Wouldn´t they have told her to shut up? But she gave interviews - told the media (Stern Magazin) that Germany had payed ransom and so on.

Btw: her own 12 years old daugther stormed the studio during an interview-recording yelling she should stop defaming the German people.

No, she is not a good person, but the question is: is she a criminal who faked her own kidnapping?

some hours bevore:

Sorry for my bad English. The German word for "before" is bevor and I´ve mixed it.

zuckerlilly:

Wouldn´t they have told her to shut up?

You keep engaging in mindless conjecturing.

Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, the embassy staffers did not tell her about finding the $$$, precisely because Berlin wanted to keep this under wraps?

The point is that we don't know.

What we do know is that this woman had part of the ransom money in her possession and frankly, unless I hear some new evidence I will take that to mean what it means, i.e. she profited from the "kidnapping".

@rednaxela

First: I accept your point of view. And believe me I don´t like this person too.

Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, the embassy staffers did not tell her about finding the $$$, precisely because Berlin wanted to keep this under wraps?

The sources say that the money was confiscated immediately.

According to this source

Osthoff was asked by officers from the BKA where the money is from and the BKA speculates as I do that the kidnappers gave her the wrong money back (...Vielleicht wollten sie dann vor Freilassung aus der Gefangenschaft dieses Geld zurückgeben und haben nur in die falsche Kasse gegriffen). Osthoff asked the kidnappers to give her the money back.

I have to go with zombie's assessment. Osthoff and crew staged the whole thing to benefit the thugs she was associating with (and to make a little cash on the side). I don't believe she was a "German Spy" at least not like William F. Buckley, the agency's station chief in Lebanon who was killed in the mid 1980's (and not to be confused with William Buckley who published a great deal on NRO).

Look, if Osthoff had any real information on German surveillance activities, contacts, operations, and so forth, the thugs would have tortured the information out of her then killed her.

Using Occum's Razor, the simplest explanation is usually the correct explanation. Osthoff is clearly on the side of Islam and being a good soldier she conned the German out of cash for future terror operations (and kept some of the money for herself). Further, she was able to get a terrorists freed. She is no friend of America.

Zombie:

As with the previous hoax kidnappings in Iraq since 2004, the steps in the production went like this:

LLL group decides to take "direct action" to help their allies in Iraq, the "insurgents."

LLL group identifies a likely fake "victim," contact her, ask if she'd be willing to be an actress in a hoax news event.

She agrees.

Jihadi group is contacted, invited to play the role of "kidnappers."

They agree, perhaps for a fee.

Script is written and rehearsed repeatedly. Plans to ask for the release of the jailed terrorist developed by German LLLs. Jihadis agree to make the demand...

See: #57 zomobie's post

...she was able to get a terrorists freed

To release Hamadi was a decided measure by the German Government month before Osthoff was kidnapped.