Kidnapped Pole in Iraq is released safe and sound, but was a ransom paid?

"I feel well, even very well," said Teresa Borcz-Khalifa. The government refused to say in what way her release was secured, but it seems that Polish authorities paid the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. According to Rzeczpospolita, the woman was kept in Latifija, 40 kilometers from Baghdad, which is beyond the control of coalition forces. Prime Minister Marek Belka is pleased with the outcome of the operation. He refused to reveal any details due to security reasons. If the government did not pay the ransom then, "If there was a military attempt to release the hostage, than it would have been loudly reported in the media," said Leszek Drewniak, former deputy head of special forces GROM. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A4) M.M.