The Islamic State wants more than $6 million to free an American woman the Muslim extremists kidnapped a year ago while she did humanitarian work in Syria, according to her family, U.S. officials and news reports.
Citing concern for her safety in the wake of the militants' execution of journalist James Foley last week, the 26-year-old woman's family and the State Department asked that she not be identified. The three humanitarian groups she worked for also were not named.
She is the third American known to have been abducted in Syria by the Islamic State.
ABC and NBC reported the Islamic State wants $6.6 million to release the woman, who was captured Aug. 4, 2013. The extremists want to exchange her for Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui, an MIT-trained neuroscientist. A U.S. jury convicted him in 2010 of trying to kill U.S. officials.
I fear for those that do humanitarian or journalism work in these countries. It is a good thing to do, but is it worth risking be kidnapped and potentially murdered.
Ugh.....if we pay the ransom, they will now start kidnapping women instead of men. If we don't, the US will look terrible for not doing everything in their power to rescue an American women from being beheaded! Catch 22....I think they have to pay up
If it's been a year, I'm sure the poor woman has probably lost count of how many times she's been beaten and raped I can't imagine how difficult it is to be in charge in hostage situations like this, and to have to potentially negotiate with terrorists
I fear for those that do humanitarian or journalism work in these countries. It is a good thing to do, but is it worth risking be kidnapped and potentially murdered.
Ugh.....if we pay the ransom, they will now start kidnapping women instead of men. If we don't, the US will look terrible for not doing everything in their power to rescue an American women from being beheaded! Catch 22....I think they have to pay up
If they pay up, who knows what the money will be used for... It's terribly risky.
I fear for those that do humanitarian or journalism work in these countries. It is a good thing to do, but is it worth risking be kidnapped and potentially murdered.
Yeah, I consider myself a compassionate person and I sure wouldn't do it at this point. People like ISIS really ruin everything.
If it's been a year, I'm sure the poor woman has probably lost count of how many times she's been beaten and raped I can't imagine how difficult it is to be in charge in hostage situations like this, and to have to potentially negotiate with terrorists
There really is no negotiating.....they want what they want and if you don't comply, they will kill the hostages in the most brutal way possible
If they pay up, who knows what the money will be used for... It's terribly risky.
Oh I totally get that and generally I'm against ransom but it will look so bad on the US if they allow the beheading of a Female American Citizen to go viral
This is why America should have never gotten involved with the Syrian rebels! Even though Assad might not have been the best leader, his leadership would probably be much preferred over the chaos that's happening in Syria and spreading to Iraq. IS are evil, and I really want America to take action against them. I really don't think they'd be powerful enough to pose a threat to America once confronted. There's no negotiating peacefully with people like this, I'm afraid.
Ugh.....if we pay the ransom, they will now start kidnapping women instead of men. If we don't, the US will look terrible for not doing everything in their power to rescue an American women from being beheaded! Catch 22....I think they have to pay up
Has a terrorist group ever gone that far as to behead a woman on camera? I don't think America will pay, another country will end up doing that. But this would definitely change how America is going to go about dealing with ISIS.
Also, I was watching my local news and they said they may have identify the guy who executed James Foley. Seems like he was an underground rapper from the UK.
I can't imagine how difficult it is to be in charge in hostage situations like this, and to have to potentially negotiate with terrorists 
