"A little later Omar must have felt we needed more reassurance for, without prompting, he informed us that it was all about ransom; about, that is, raising money for the cause, for jihad. It was simple, he proclaimed. They would make demands, the United Nations and/or Canada would negotiate a suitable number, and we would be freed. “It might take a few days, but,” he explained, “you could be back in Niamey by the weekend.” Indeed, if a deal could be expeditiously concluded, he confidently proclaimed, he would drive us back himself, “right to your hotel.”
Louis and I told him that we did not think it would be so simple: that, as far as we knew—and we stressed that neither of us had had any direct experience of such things—neither Canada nor the United Nations would pay a ransom to kidnappers. Omar brushed such observations off as mere posturing on our part." (Robert Fowler. A Season In Hell. My 130 Days In The Sahara With Am Qaeda)
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