71.   An Italian Catholic priest, held hostage by a Muslim gang, has sent a letter confirming he is still alive and requesting ransom payment, police said Wednesday.

72.   Annan also said that he was unaware of a ransom payment reportedly made last month to free seven UN observers in Tajikistan.

73.   Before, the official said, the US government would not assist in any way with ransom payments.

74.   The police general had no comment on the question of ransom payment.

75.   The rest of the hostages were either killed or released after alleged ransom payments.

76.   The rest of the hostages were either released after alleged ransom payments or were killed.

77.   When the new policy was announced on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher made no allusion to the shift in language on ransom payments.

78.   When the new policy was announced on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher made no reference to the shift in language on ransom payments.

79.   One Chinese escaped while the other was freed allegedly after ransom payments.

80.   Pasqua denied on Thursday there had been any ransom payment and demanded legal action to punish what he said were slanderous accusation.