Most likely a put up job. The terrorists understand that the Times is on their side. Why would they kidnap an ally? This guy was embedded with the Taliban and will serve as a propaganda agent for them.
This anti_American reporter is a taliban and al qaeda sympathizer. He was whining about Guantanamo and the prisoners that were sent back to their home countries before he disappeared. i wonder if the taliban treated him as they treat their sheep while he was their guest. i guess he isn’t Jewish or they would have given him the Daniel Pearl treatment.