I Wonder How Much $4 Million Can Buy in Gitmo
There’s yet more news on our South Korea-Taliban ransom story.
Last September, I told you that Mullah Abdallah Jan, one of the leaders in the kidnapping and murder of South Korean hostages, had an unexpected meeting with an American J-Dam and shortly thereafter, 72 virgin prepubescent boys. This week, when I heard that Mansoor Dadullah had been captured, it occurred to me that the name was familiar, but the Chosun Ilbo makes the connection:
Pakistani authorities said that Mansoor Dadullah was arrested with five other Taliban militants in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province. Dadullah was responsible for the abduction of 23 Koreans in Afghanistan last summer.
Chief Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP, “He is in the custody of the security agencies along with five accomplices. They are all injured. [Chosun Ilbo]
The Chosun Ilbo says that Dadullah was the more senior commander, whereas Abdallah Jan was the field commander.
Mansoor Dadullah led the negotiations for the release of the 23 kidnapped Koreans in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The negotiations dragged on as he made substantial demands such as the withdrawal of Korean troops from Afghanistan and the exchange of Taliban prisoners for the abducted Koreans.
This is not the first time we’ve captured Dadullah. He was previously caught and then released after the Taliban took an Italian hostage which, of course, only led to more kidnapping, murder, and terror (admittedly most of it against Afghans, whose misery is less newsworthy).
Let’s hope he’s headed for a more secure location this time. Dadullah, who no doubt murdered far more people than just those two South Korean missionaries who were executed in cold blood, is now headed for far more food, shelter, and warmth than he’s known in recent times.
Assuming he survives his injuries, which would be a pity.
Dadullah’s brother, who embarked on his own eternal dirt nap last May, was the Taliban’s senior commander until last May.