British TV Outlet Pays Hefty Ransom to Taliban

First of all, this dumbass was in a lawless area where foreigners are prohibited, so he's only got himself to blame. Now Channel 4 has given these mutants the green light to kidnap media types, knowing they'll be handsomely rewarded.

Channel 4 has come under fire for paying a £150,000 ransom to secure the release of a documentary maker held hostage by Taliban criminals.

Politicians have hit out at the broadcaster's decision to hand over a brief case of cash to thugs linked to extremism, to secure the released of the reporter.

Sean Langan, 43, was made captive after travelling to the remote tribal regions of Pakistan, a stronghold for extremists where foreigners are banned.

Kidnappers threatened to take the life of him and his translator unless the ransom was paid to them.

He was abducted by a local tribal family before the Taliban became involved in holding him.

Both men were eventually released after an Afghan journalist acting as a middle-man, said to have been hired by the broadcaster, handed over the money.

It is understood that the Foreign Office tried to convince Channel 4 not to pay the ransom fearing it would spark a spat of copy-cat abductions on others.

Eight weeks after he disappeared on his filming trip it was revealed that he was being held hostage, in constant fear of beheading and held in a tiny cell.

But now following his release politicians have hit out at the broadcaster, saying that by paying the ransom they have put more lives at risk.

Conservative MP Philip Davies, who sits on the culture, media and sport select committee, criticised Channel 4 for paying the money.

He claimed the broadcaster's 'caving-in' had effectively put more people lives at risk in the long run.

The MP said: "I don't believe in basically caving in to kidnappers in any way, shape or form. It creates a more unsafe environment for everyone.