Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Road Walker who wrote (190671)	6/16/2004 12:29:22 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1586047

<font color=brown> I hope this kidnapping will convince the remaining Americans in SA to either take extraordinary precautions or get out of the country. IMO SA ain't quieting down any time soon.<font color=black> ******************************************************* McCain Links N.J. Man's Abduction, Saudis' Past Policies Senator: Kingdom 'Paying Price' For Backing Groups That Perpetuate Terror WASHINGTON -- As a U.S. hostage is held in Saudi Arabia, Sen. John McCain says the kingdom's past policies are coming back to haunt it.** The captors of Paul Johnson, 49, of Stafford Township, N.J., distributed a videotape of him Tuesday and threatened to kill him unless Saudi authorities release al-Qaida prisoners within three days. Johnson, an employee of Lockheed Martin, was abducted Saturday by a group calling itself Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. McCain told NBC's "Today" show the Saudis are "paying the price" for supporting groups that perpetuate terrorism. He said the Saudis had what he calls a "tacit agreement" with terrorists that called for them not to carry out attacks on Saudi soil. McCain said the terrorists got a "wink and a nod" from the Saudi government in return. On Tuesday, an Islamic Web site showed a videotape of Johnson wearing a blindfold. "My name is Paul Marshall Johnson Jr.," the hostage said. "I am an American. I work on Apache helicopters." Segments of the tape, first aired by CNN, appear to have been edited together. They show a blindfolded Johnson sitting in a chair with his profile to the camera. In one sequence, Johnson appears to have a bandage around his neck, or a gag that had been pulled down from his mouth. Adel al-Jubeir, an adviser to the Saudi government, said Riyadh won't negotiate with terrorists. The United States has the same policy. A U.S. official said the abductors' threat to kill Johnson unless Saudi authorities free al-Qaida prisoners within three days should be taken "very seriously" because the posting appeared to be credible and militants have used the site before. Al-Jubeir told The Associated Press that the kingdom was trying to determine the authenticity of the tape and would consult with the Bush administration about what to do next. The statement, dated June 15, said the holy warriors of the Arabian peninsula's Fallujah Brigade had "hit" the engineering team that "oversees the development of the American Apache helicopter that attacks Muslims in Palestine and Afghanistan." On Monday, Johnson's son spoke to reporters about his father's love of Arab culture. "Dad said many times he loved living in Saudi Arabia," Paul Johnson III said. He appealed for his father's captors to release him, saying, "He doesn't deserve this." whiotv.com