Jo's Cafe

*** UPDATING: 8:32 am***

From FOX, they have been moved to Israel — thank god they are out of Gaza and its suspected Steve should be heading to the states soon.  No word that I’ve heard where Olaf may be heading, but his wife is with him. 

*** UPDATING: 6:12 am***

Shep is talking to Steve on the phone now.  He sounds emotional and is thanking everyone.  He is stelling Shep the story of their capture.  They were held at gunpoint, were forced to “convert” to the religion of Islam, and forced to make video tapes.  He says the only one they wanted to make was the initial one telling their family they are fine.  That leads me to believe all subsequent ones were forced. 

God knows their hearts and what they had to do to survive.

*** UPDATED: 5:26 am*** 

FOX just showed a video of Steve and Olaf entering the hotel in Gaza.

THANK YOU GOD!

***UPDATED 5:28 am***

  FOX is announcing they have been released!!! *** 

Shep is talking to Jennifer (correction) Amy Kellogg and she has just said they are in a hotel and her producer is talking to Steve on the phone.

THANK YOU GOD!!

***Orginal***

Kidnapped FOX News reporters forced to convert to Islam … the “religion” of peace; denounces Bush and Blair.

Assorted Babble by Suzie has a round up …

From Al Jeezera Reuters:

GAZA (Reuters) – Two kidnapped Fox journalists appeared on a new videotape released by their captors on Sunday in the Gaza Strip, in which the reporters said they had converted to Islam, the Fox News Channel said.

Palestinian Interior Minister Saeed Seyam said efforts were under way to secure within hours the release of Fox correspondent Steve Centanni, a 60-year-old American, and New Zealand-born cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36.

Both journalists appeared to be in good health in the new video. They were seized on August 14.

They were shown separately sitting cross-legged, reading a statement which Fox said was an announcement that they had converted to Islam. At times in the video they were wearing long Muslim robes.

[...]

The previously unknown Holy Jihad Brigades claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the kidnapping and had warned the United States to free Muslim prisoners or the captives would face unspecified consequences. The deadline expired on Saturday.

I’m sure this was done under threat of their lives — because a conversion to a religion, that is honest pure and from the heart and soul does not require you to “READ” something to profess your beliefs. You should be able to say it from the heart.

Others (see trackback links also): Flopping Aces