Journalists Freed by Terrorists After 'Converting' to Islam, Denouncing West

Fox News journalists Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig have been freed by their captors in Gaza and are in good health after nearly two weeks in captivity.

After being dropped off at Gaza City's Beach Hotel by Palestinian security officials, a tearful Centanni briefly embraced a Palestinian journalist in the lobby, then rushed upstairs. Wiig walked into the lobby behind Centanni, briefly turned when someone pulled him by the arm and shouted "get off" before heading upstairs.

The pair then met with Palestinian officials, including Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas. The three men sat in a circle of chairs at the Beach Hotel.

"I want to thank everybody. I am happy to be here. I hope that this never scares a single journalist away from coming to Gaza to cover the story because the Palestinian people are very beautiful and kind hearted," Centanni told reporters.

Shortly before their release, the kidnappers issued a new video showing the hostages dressed in beige Arab-style robes. Wiig, of New Zealand, delivered an anti-Western speech while sitting cross-legged on the floor and reading from crumpled notes, his face expressionless and his tone halting. "The people of Gaza have suffered for many years in what is effectively a prison camp," he said. "It is Apache helicopters firing hellfire missiles made in America that kill the residents of Gaza."

The kidnappers claimed both men had converted to Islam. Centanni said in the video that he has converted and raised his index finger in an oath of allegiance to the religion.

Centanni later told Fox News that during his capture, he was held at times face down in a dark garage, tied up in painful positions, and that he and Wiig were forced at gunpoint to make statements, including that they had converted to Islam.

The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has insisted it had no clue about the identity of the kidnappers. However, Palestinian security officials said Sunday that Palestinian authorities had known the identity of the kidnappers from the start.

UPDATE 08/27 @ 13:37: Atlas notes that tomorrow is Gilad Shalit's 20th birthday. He's been held captive by Palestinian terrorists since being kidnapped on June 25.

UPDATE 08/28 @ 16:10: We just received a translated transcript of an Al Arabiya interview last night with Said Siam, Palestinian Minister of Interior:

Q: Now, we are going to Gaza, Palestine, where we will be speaking with Mr. Said Siam, the Minister of Interior. Mr. Said Siam, we welcome you to this program of al-Arabiya TV, 'The Last Hour'.

I will start by asking you about the soon-to-be-released journalists by the so-called Holy War Faction. Who are these people and what do they represent?

SAID SIAM: In the name of God, the beneficent and the merciful. The truth is that this name surfaces in the Palestinian territories for the first time. It may serve as a cover for some groups or individuals. At any rate, we apologize for this kidnapping of foreigners in the Palestinian territory and consider such actions to be disgraceful and unacceptable acts, regardless of the address, the name or the signature behind these actions.

Q: Let us consider the name of this organization for a moment. Could it belong to a foreign organization or could it be a disguise for an internal organization? What option is closer to reality?

MR. SIAM: As everyone knows, the kidnappings of foreigners are considered objectionable, offensive and dreadful acts. These actions cannot be condoned by any Palestinian group - as previously agreed by all Palestinian national factions - without regard to the origin of the group and the influences practiced by any foreign or internal group.

We stress that this mater is intolerable, even when considering the serious unsatisfactory conditions prevailing in the Gaza strip and the Palestinian territories as a result of the continuous Israeli practices of agression against our Palestinian people, day and night. Some individuals or groups may use this opportunity to behave in a deplorable fashion.

Q: Before I ask you about the government of national unity, could you, very briefly, tell us if there is any information that may lead to the arrest of any suspects?

MR. SIAM: We cannot discuss this matter openly in the media. The security forces are continuing this investigation and are pursuing all possible leads. At the first stage, we were mainly interested in obtaining the safe release of the two kidnapped journalists and the protection of their lives.