[cyncooper]

It's been said that the Italian government paid the terrorists as much as ten million dollars in ransom for this journalist. If so, the Italians probably were trying to do this whole operation covertly, without informing the US, most likely because the US would object.

That is exactly what I heard Brett Baier report on Fox...that the U.S. is almost 100% certain a ransom was paid and the deal was kept from us because they knew we would object.

Baier was not confirming this in fact happened, but the suspicion many of us had is indeed shared by the administration and when they verify it we will hear about it.

[Sabatier]

I bet at this point the Italian government wants a refund.