Hostage taking is becoming common
With all of the drama in the news lately on Hostage taking, I thought I would share an excerpt from my book, “The Lion’s Den” which is due out for publication (ebook), on April 15, 2015. This is where Della’s colleague, Brent Marshall is taken hostage, as part of bin Laden’s plan to lure Della into his clutches:
The Lion’s Den:
Brent Marshall sat in his hotel room, waiting for his phone to ring. He idly reviewed the background information he had gathered in preparation for his much anticipated meeting with Walid abu Sarhaoui, Islamist leader, and president of the MOJWA governing council…….
Brent hoped that today’s interview, might help to open unconditional talks between the opposing forces, and with the withdrawal of coalition troops in Afghanistan, equilibrium might eventually be restored , allowing the way to be paved for resolution of the conflict. He wasn’t looking for the Nobel Peace Prize, but he was hoping to allow Walid a platform to let himself be seen as less of a monster and more of a leader.
Just then, the door to the hotel room was kicked open. Five or six men dressed in the rag tag garb of al Qaeda fighters surrounded him, automatic rifles cocked and pointed at his head. The leader, none other than Ibrahin bin Sharikh, addressed him in English,
“Mr. Marshall, so nice to make your acquaintance. Abu Sarhaoui, sends his regrets that he will be unable to hold interviews today. He thinks it only fair that we allow you to experience the real Africa the way our forefathers did, see how they were treated by you men of the west.
I’m sure you will make of it a good story.”
One of the men shoved a rag in his mouth, and pulled a hood over his head, jamming the butt of his rifle into his ribs, as he forced him to kneel while the others duct-taped his wrists behind his back and shackled his ankles. His belongings were looted, the computer and camera equipment, and anything of value was shared up among the kidnappers, and he was hauled to his feet and marched out into the hallway and down over the stairs while the other guests and patrons of the hotel stayed well out of the way of the armed men.
Outside there was a van waiting and Brent was shoved inside and whisked away through the busy, crowded city, where things like abductions and people being held at gunpoint was an everyday occurrence.
***Food for thought: My husband, Paul subscribes to Survivallife.com. Here is a link to their recent post about what to do in a hostage taking situation. Note to self: Don’t ever think it can’t happen to you.
http://survivallife.com/2014/12/16/surviving-a-hostage-situation-or-terrorist-attack/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=12-22-14-content-mail#
Norma
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