Topic: Taliban alleges "Canadian national" captured in Ghazni?

[milnews.ca]

Perhaps he found it too embarrassing to say that DFAIT was changing the font on their website so that the WARNING on travel to Afghanistan was in in a flashing florescent red 72 pt Times New Roman font, making it stand out more for young Canadians to read.

Those that choose to check in the first place, anyway.

[milnews.ca]

Canada's still on the case:

A Scarborough woman whose son is being held in Afghanistan by kidnappers is "sick with worry" and "can't get a straight answer" from the federal government on how they will get her son home, local Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis says …. Media reports have said Rutherford's kidnappers sent demands to Canada's government, but Karygiannis, his mother's MP in Scarborough-Agincourt, said she has not been told what the demands are and his own inquiries about the case have gone unanswered.  Karygiannis confirmed Rutherford's mother does not want to speak to reporters, but in a release this week the Liberal MP quotes the woman as saying the federal government told her "due to privacy issues, they cannot discuss the case."  A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Canada, which advises Canadians against all travel to Afghanistan, confirmed Rutherford, "after travelling to the country as a tourist," is missing there.  "Canadian officials are working with Afghan authorities to assist the family in securing the safe release of their loved one," Priya Sinha added on Wednesday. "We ask that the media respect the privacy of the family."

Source:  insidetoront.com, 8 Jul 11

[milnews.ca]

A bump with the latest:

The family of a Toronto man who was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan last year is trying to bring him home by reaching out to his captors themselves.

Brian Rutherford, whose brother Colin was taken hostage during a vacation to Afghanistan in November 2010, told CBC News his family hopes to get in touch with his captors to find a solution. They have set up two phone lines, one for Canada and one in Afghanistan, and an email address for this purpose.

“We want to talk to the people that have him,” he told the CBC’s John Lancaster. “We want them to get in contact with us so we can work something out."

Rutherford's mother, Wendy, said she understands the Canadian government has done all it can and, now, it’s up to the family.

“My goal is to bring Colin home,” she said.

(....)

Since then, there have been no demands or ransoms made by Rutherford’s abductors. But in May, the Taliban released a video of Colin (downloadable from non-jihadi site), then 26 years old, giving brief answers to a man off-screen.

(....)

The department of foreign affairs would not comment on the specifics of Rutherford’s situation, but said it was "concerned" about his case.

"We are very limited in what we can say as we will not compromise the safety of any Canadian hostage," a spokesman said in an emailed statement. "We're obviously tremendously concerned about such cases. We are monitoring the situation and maintain contact with the family. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."

But the opposition’s associate foreign affairs critic, NDP MP Jinny Sims, is urging Ottawa to push harder for Rutherford’s release.

“We have had a significant presence in Afghanistan, and I think we have an incredible amount of contacts that could be used to locate this young man,” she told CBC News ....

CBC.ca, 22 Dec 11

[GAP]

But the opposition’s associate foreign affairs critic, NDP MP Jinny Sims, is urging Ottawa to push harder for Rutherford’s release.

Really? I do wish they wouldn't spout this bull....they are not doing the family any favors, just their reelection chances......

[milnews.ca]

Really? I do wish they wouldn't spout this bull....they are not doing the family any favors, just their reelection chances......

What's interesting is how differently THEY would do things if they were in power, knowing more about the bigger picture than they do now.  Then again, that could be scary, too....

[cypres78]

What's interesting is how differently THEY would do things if they were in power,

God help us....

I think we'll see a third place NDP once more in 2015.

[ModlrMike]

There's nothing in the article to suggest that the Government is not vigorously, but quietly working through intermediaries to get this guy released.

[CDN Aviator]

We have had a significant presence in Afghanistan

How convenient for the NDP........

[ObedientiaZelum]

Brian Rutherford, whose brother Colin was taken hostage during a vacation to Afghanistan in November 2010,

Because you're an idiot.  Good job Colin.

[dogger1936]

I think he is going to exceed his wanted knowledge of the culture and people of this majestic region of the world.

Maybe he will get to see some historic sites previously unexplored by westerners. Experience things like Chai boy nights, women beating and killing, sharia law, inbreeding, total intolerance for anything outside their compound walls, more inbreeding, Allah, some more Allah, and all the great things that make Afghanistan a wonderful tourist destination.

This is the best example of the good idea fairy leading people into bad situations I've seen in a long time.

[PuckChaser]

How convenient for the NDP........

Exactly, and because they cried and complained about casualties we don't have a strong combat presence anymore. They want their cake and to eat it too.

[ModlrMike]

Exactly, and because they cried and complained about casualties we don't have a strong combat presence anymore. They want their cake and to eat it too.

Actually, they want to eat their cake and have it. Anyone can have a piece of cake and subsequently eat it. The trick is to eat the cake and still have it left.