Free Republic

After the United Nations diplomat John Solecki, who had forcefully converted to Islam under the doctrine of the Taliban militants, a Canadian journalist - Beverly Giesbrecht, became the latest Taliban target, with the deadline of March 30 being announced by the militants for her release. Even as the 48-hour deadline for kidnapped United Nations official John Solecki ends, the Taliban has released another hostage video, this time of a Canadian journalist, threatening to behead her by March 30. As Beverly desperately calls out for help, she says, "The timeline is very short and my life is going to end. So...

The kidnappers of an American U.N. workers seized in Pakistan have threatened to kill him within 72 hours unless more than 100 prisoners are released. The threat was contained in a letter delivered with a grainy video of the hostage, John Solecki, to a Pakistani news agency on Friday. Solecki appears blindfolded in the short clip and appeals to the world body to act quickly to secure his release.

QUETTA, Pakistan — SNIPPET: "The abduction occurred as the man was heading to his job as the head of the U.N. refugee office in the main southwest city of Quetta, senior police official Khalid Masood said. Masood identified the kidnapped official as John Solecki, and said he was from the United States."