So if they don't pay the ransom how is this going to end? 2 members of society are just as valuable as millions of others. Guess I'm in a minority that thinks that 100 days is ample time for us to have got them out by another method, we've got the intelligence and we're just not using it OR we don't have the intelligence and thats why they've not been brought home! Either is frightening!!!

My heart says pay it my head says do not pay it and I think our heads have too rule over our hearts sad as that may be.

How do you know they are doing nothing with the intelligence we have ? They will not broadcast what they are doing.

It all has too be done very quietly and undercover.


(((Hugs))) Lorna I understand where you are coming from but agree we cannot hand over the money and seem to be saying to all the terrorists, kidnappers etc., we are a soft touch.

I hope this has a happy outcome for the two people held hostage and their families.

if people are traveling in the area, maybe they should take out some insurance to cover this situation, take responsibility for themself,

I know years ago in mexico I think it was, it was common practice for well off familys to have hostage insurance, they always paid and due to this kids were being taken every day, but it only made the situation worse.

so I guess you can get insurance in you can afford it?

as to what the uk is doing, I agree they will not be able to make this public,

I agree it shouldn't be made public, but surely 100 days later we should already know - eg they should be home already I didn't know you could take out insurance - I'd take it if I was traveling. Someone said in uni yesterday that even if the family had the money the government have banned it going to the kidnappers.

Why should we try and save them? they knew of the dangers of sailing in those waters and the risk they were taking. If not they are very nieve people. No they got themselves to blame so let them get their selves out of it. I just cannot see any justification for us tax payers spending out millions of pounds on a couple who just don't deseve it

Tumbleweed

I'm not sure that is true. I've read the government said they would not stop any private payment of the ransom, but that they would strongly discourage it.

The link I put in my last post states different to your uni friend. People have been held captive for years

I'd rather our taxes go to rescue two individuals in trouble than waste on benefits but thats another argument!

In your link it states that they claim not to have stopped it, but the gentleman in question states that they did stop him...

"Maritime security expert Nick Davis claims to have arranged talks with the Somali pirates holding Paul and Rachel Chandler to secure their release for about STG100,000 ($A182,000) last year.
However, he said the Foreign Office in London had failed to give the green light for the deal and he had been forced to abandon the talks."

It seems cargo ships and the crew are worth a ransom though
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english201...c_13159288.htm

I will probably be stoned here.....
These two people decided to take a route well known for somalian pirates, they knew the risks involved, they took no precautions to protect themselves in this type of problem and then expect the tax payer to foot the bill for their unfortunate mistake , I say they displayed arrogance when it the safety of those who would have to go in to retrieve them and ignorance of the political status of that shipping route. We cant go round saving every idiot and no, I disagree that every member of society is as valuable as the other, prisons and criminal death rates dictate a difference , life is not scared and cannot ever be when we subscribe to illegal wars, so here I would say tough, they have to live with the decision to take that fateful route and no one else should be placed at risk attempting to save them.