Italian Officials Dispute Reports of Ransom
75160
Italy&#39;s government dismissed reports Wednesday that it paid $1 million to free two Italian aid workers who were kidnapped in Iraq and held for three weeks before being released Tuesday.
126823
Italy is investigating whether an Italian journalist abducted in Iraq was seized by insurgents or by ordinary criminals hoping for a ransom, a top Foreign Ministry official said Sunday.
22981
The Italian government continued to squabble Tuesday over the case of a Milan imam allegedly kidnapped by the CIA with the help of the Italian secret services.Comment
746459
The Bush administration yesterday gave Italy the benefit of the doubt amid reports that Rome had paid a terrorist group in Iraq a $1 million ransom to secure the release of two Italian hostages.
399702
Visiting Italian Foreign Minister made a fresh call here Monday on kidnappers of the two Italian hostages and other nationals held in Iraq to let them go, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
294197
Experts on Islamic militant groups are skeptical about a Web posting demanding $5 million in ransom for two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, France's prime minister said Monday.
32223
When a disciplined group of uniformed men kidnapped two Italian aid workers and their two Iraqi assistants from their Baghdad office earlier this month - only to have an Islamic group claim the kidnapping hours ...
573453
The Kuwaiti daily which predicted the release of two Italian hostages in Iraq said on Wednesday that the captors had originally demanded a &#36;5 million ransom but settled for &#36;1 million in the end.
216561
The purported execution of the two women, both aid workers abducted more than two weeks ago in Baghdad along with two Iraqi colleagues, caused consternation in Italy, with Italian TV and radio running special bulletins through the night.
100871
ROME  - The Italian government said Thursday that it doubted the authenticity of a second claim that two female aid workers had been killed in Iraq, but that it was still checking the report.
252769
BAGHDADâThe brother of a British hostage held by terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi accused the United States yesterday of sabotaging efforts to save the captive&#39;s life, while the Italian government cast doubt on claims that two kidnapped Italian
506003
Safely home in Italy, two women aid  workers spoke of returning to Iraq on Wednesday despite a  three-week hostage ordeal as their overjoyed nation shrugged  off reports that a ransom was paid to free them.
143487
ROME - Italy insisted on Wednesday it did not pay a million-dollar ransom to win the release of two aid workers, as the country rejoiced in the homecoming of the women who said they were ready to return to Iraq to continue their work there.
714729
Kuwaiti and Italian officials on Monday urged the release of two Italian female hostages kidnapped earlier in Baghdad, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
76857
Italian military officials denied reports that they had kicked out of their base in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah an American journalist who was kidnapped at the weekend while reporting on archaeological sites in the area.
373402
Confusion surrounded the fate of two  French journalists held hostage in Iraq on Thursday after a new  purported statement from the kidnappers denied they had  demanded a $5 million ransom or set a 48-hour deadline.
753690
One of the two freed Italian aid workers said Wednesday that their abductors in Iraq taught them about Islam and reassured them they wouldn't die. While the women rested with their families after a joyous reunion, questions were raised whether a &#36;1 million ransom had been paid to secure their freedom.