A short YouTube monologue (Nov 2, 2013) reacting to reports that French journalists were executed in Mali. The speaker finds the immediate executions surprising, suggests the killings may be linked to recent hostage releases and ransom payments, and hypothesizes a dispute (e.g., unpaid or counterfeit money) during the earlier exchange. The piece is presented as opinion and cautionary speculation pending further news.
Hello, everyone. I didn't think I'd be making this video today, but someone just told me that French journalists were executed in Mali. So I'd like to respond a little bit to that. What's happening is that the details of this story are extremely surprising. Namely, it's extremely rare for terrorists to take hostages and execute them immediately afterwards. In general, they always allow a little time, even when the primary intention is to kill them, they always allow a little time to pass, which allows them to see if they can exchange them for money or something else, and which also allows them to make a possible execution that will happen at the end. More mediatized. But here, taking hostages and killing them immediately afterwards seems like a kind of misdeal. In fact, I have the impression that it's extremely linked to the release of the hostages two days ago. You know, there are French people who have been released, four French people who were released for $5 million each. So I have a hard time seeing terrorists from Mali killing French people, knowing that the French government was ready to pay and there is no longer any need to pay. No later than 48 hours ago, $5 million each. For them, that would be like throwing money out the window in the sense that they could have easily paid these people for money. So what is happening is that I have the impression that there is a mix up in the release of the hostages a few days. I have the impression that the execution of these journalists is a kind of message or a kind of elevator pitch sent to the French government for an incident or something that must have happened during the release of the hostages two days ago. I don't know either people who were promised money, intermediaries or others who were promised money, they didn't receive their money. Either they didn't receive the full amount or they received counterfeit bills, or the French tried to get the cash back once they had their hostages, something happened. I hope the coming days will tell us, but I'm sure it's not normal for terrorists in Mali to take hostages and then the French to execute them immediately. After all, it's something out of the ordinary that doesn't fit the pattern we're used to seeing. That's all. That's just my opinion on the matter. And of course we'll watch the news and everything and try to refine this view. Have a good evening.
