Concern mounts about Fox News journalists abducted a week ago

Reporters Without Borders today reiterated its call for the release of the two Fox News journalists, reporter Steve Centanni and cameraman 0laf Wiig, who were kidnapped on 14 August in Gaza City. The press freedom organisation is becoming increasingly concerned that no group has claimed responsibility for their abduction, despite the many appeals for their release. Foreign journalists have been kidnapped before in the Palestinian Territories, but for the most part they have been treated relatively well and freed after just a few hours in captivity. The leading Palestinian militant organisations have insisted that they are no way linked to the abduction of Centanni and Wiig. Around 30 Palestinian journalists staged a demonstration on 19 August to call for their release, carrying banners that said: “No to the kidnapping of journalists. Yes to freedom of the press.” The Palestinian prime minister said the release of Centanni and Wiig was a priority for his government. In a video aired by the Qatar-based satellite TV news station Al-Jazeera yesterday, Centanni's brother appealed to their kidnappers to make themselves known and to say if the journalists were alive and in good health. He also argued that his brother would be of more use to the Palestinian cause free than captive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.08.2006 Abduction of Fox News journalists unanimously condemned The search continues in Gaza for the two Fox News journalists, reporter Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig, who were abducted by gunmen in Gaza City on 15 August. Both the government and president's office of the Palestinian Authority said they would do everything in their power to obtain their release. Wiig's wife, journalist Anita McNaught, made a poignant appeal for their release yesterday, describing their abduction as utterly “pointless and destructive” as the regards the journalists trying to report on the plight of the Palestinian people. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference yesterday appealed for their rapid release, saying their abduction was not in the interests of Palestinians. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Speaking through the High Committee of Palestinian and National Islamic Factions, the various Palestinian groups today described it as a “hideous crime that dishonours our people's struggle and its image in the world.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15.08.2006 Call for release of two Fox News journalists kidnapped in Gaza Reporters Without Borders voiced deep concern today about the kidnapping of two journalists working for the US TV network, Fox News, reporter Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig, who were abducted by gunmen in the centre of Gaza City last night. “We appeal to the kidnappers to release these two journalists,” the press freedom organisation said. “They were just doing their job and can in no way be held responsible for US policy in the region or the Israeli army's operations in the Palestinian Territories or in Lebanon. We also call on the Palestinian authorities to do everything to find Centanni and Wiig and to ensure they return safe and sound to their families.” Ten journalists have been kidnapped in the Palestinian Territories in the past 12 months. Centanni, a US citizen, and Wiig, who is from New Zealand, were kidnapped while in their work vehicle just a few yards from the headquarters of the Palestinian security services in the centre of Gaza City. The gunmen took them after disarming their bodyguard. They did not take their Palestinian driver. No organisation has claimed responsibility. Wiig's wife, BBC World Service presenter Anita McNaught, said negotiations were already under way with their kidnappers. Agence France-Presse reported that both Ghazi Hamad, the spokesman of the Hamas-led government, and Nabil Abou Roudeina, the spokesman for the Palestinian president, condemned the kidnapping and appealed for their “rapid release.” A spokesman for the Palestinian interior ministry told journalists: “We have opened an investigation to determine who kidnapped the two journalists in Gaza and we have begun enquiries to find them as quickly as possible.” Three journalists were previously kidnapped in Gaza in March by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (FPLP), who acted in response to an Israeli army operation against Jericho prison. The three were later released safe and sound. At least five journalists were kidnapped in the Palestinian Territories in 2005. Since the start of this year, at least four journalists have been injured by the Israeli army in the Palestinian Territories.