21.   Historically, Muslim kidnapping gangs killed missionaries because churches rarely paid ransoms.

22.   However, Chechen officials contend that in this case, too, a ransom was paid.

23.   If we make investments to protect tropical forests today, we can avoid paying ransom for forest resources tomorrow.

24.   Ideally that means capturing and punishing the kidnappers, but it may also mean making it illegal to pay a ransom, as in Italy and some other countries.

25.   If we were to pay a ransom once, there would be no end to it.

26.   In most cases, ransom is paid to release the hostages, although often the payment is denied.

27.   In most cases, a ransom is paid, but sometimes the victims simply disappear.

28.   In the past, Chirac has denied that any ransom was paid.

29.   In theory, those funds were for extraordinary expenses like paying ransoms.

30.   In the past, Japanese companies have been openly willing to pay ransom for the return of captured executives.