Gee, didn't see that coming!

Afghan Taliban vow to kidnap, kill more foreigners

By Sayed Salahuddin Mon Sep 3

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan’s Taliban plan to abduct and kill more nationals from foreign countries whose troops serve under NATO and the U.S. military in the country, a spokesman for the Islamic movement warned on Monday.

The vow comes just days after the Taliban released 19 South Korean hostages after their government struck a deal that critics said sets a dangerous precedent that could spur more kidnappings and make life even more dangerous for foreigners.

“We consider it (kidnapping) as an arm that can help us in imparting a blow to the enemy,” Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“Kidnapping … and killing of (nationals) of those countries who have come for the annihilation of the nation of Afghanistan, are works which suppress the enemy,” he added…

A senior Taliban commander said on condition of anonymity at the [sic] weekend that the deal also included a ransom payment of more than $20 million, which would be used to buy weapons and fund suicide attacks.

The commander’s comments followed widespread rumors of a ransom in Afghanistan and South Korea…

Both the South Korean government and Taliban spokesman Yousuf deny a ransom was paid but when asked about the idea earlier in the week, a spokesman for South Korea’s president did not answer directly, saying only that the government had done what was necessary…

But I thought that...oh nevermind.