Qatar Takes Credit for Release of US Journalist Not Held by ISIS

Qatari officials are taking credit for obtaining the release of American journalist Theo Curtis, who was not held by the Islamic State.  Curtis was taken captive in 2012.  His release followed the gruesome video depicting the execution of another US journalist, James Foley, at the hands of ISIS and the threat to do the same to Steven Sotloff, also being held by ISIS. The Qatari government in recent days has been trying to deflect accusations that it funds ISIS and facilitating the release of a kidnapped journalist in the wake of the Foley furor supports that effort. But Qatari officials were quoted by Al-Jazeera as noting that obtaining the release of ISIS-held captives is much more difficult.