article_snippet.sent: A statement posted on the NBC News site said: 'The group that kidnapped us put on an elaborate ruse to convince us
article_snippet.sent: The group that kidnapped us were Shiite Shabiha militiamen. 
article_snippet.sent: The group that kidnapped us was a criminal gang with shifting allegiances.'
article_snippet.sent: Instead the captives may just have been handed over.
article_snippet.sent: But based on all of We reporting, it is clear that We were kidnapped by a criminal gang for money and released for propaganda purposes. '
article_snippet.sent: This, of course, does not make our kidnappers or the five days they held our at gunpoint any less dangerous.