France, Germany and Italy paid about $45 million to obtain the release of hostages kidnapped in Iraq, despite denying it in public, a British newspaper reports.
Britain has not handed out any money to kidnap gangs, the paper said on Monday, basing its report on "documents seen by The Times".
The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments and say that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives, the paper said.
According to the report, France paid out a combined $25 million for the release of Georges Malbrunot in December 2004 and Florence Aubenas in June 2005. Italy handed over $11 million for the freedom of Simona Pari, Simona Torretta and Giuliana Sgrena in 2004 and 2005. Germany was said to have given kidnappers $8 million to secure the release of three hostages, including Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, who were freed earlier this month.
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