A strange kidnapping in Perry County resulted in the arrest of five people by Newport police.

According to police, Derek Williams (21), Keith Hammaker (32), MaryGreenawalt (38), Adam Louden (23) and William Leach (22) accused an 18 year-old of stealing from their home after staying with them. The group threatened to kill the victim, stripped him, bound and gagged him with duct tape, then beat him with brass knuckles and a machete. The group dumped the unconscious 18 year old on the side of the road. When he came to, he received help from people in a nearby home.

State troopers and U.S. Marshals raided Hammaker and Greenwalt’s home in relation to the kidnapping in Perry county. Police found weapons used int he attack and confiscated drugs.

The group faces a number of charges including, unlawful restraint, aggravated assault, terroristic threats and kidnapping.

Remind me not to steal anything from Perry County…

Fidel Zavala was kidnapped by an extreme group in southern Paraguay called the Paraguayan People’s Army on October 15.

Although it has been over a month since Fidel Zavala’s kidnapping, Paraguay just recently announced on Thursday November 12, a plan to rescue Zavala. No details have been leaked as to why the government has waited a month to act.

Zavala’s family is angered by the move because the guerilla group has asked that police and media stay out of the situation. This group killed a 19 year old hostage earlier this year. Other kidnapping victims have been released after ransoms were paid.

There is a viral message being circulated about 22 missionary families in Afghanistan being executed among Christian bloggers and people on Twitter. The typical message is to pray for the 22 missionary families in Afghanistan that have been kidnapped and will be executed for their faith.

What many of these bloggers don’t realize is that this message has been circulating since February 2007 via email and is a hoax. I have not found any stories from American or International news agencies about 22 missionary families in Afghanistan being kidnapped or killed at all in the last eight years- since the start of the war in Afghanistan.

The power of messages like this to be spread throughout online communities is fascinating especially among tight knit groups such as Christians. I’m sure many received the email/ text message/ tweet and felt they wanted to avoid any guilt in not praying for a fellow Christians in need.

Nehemiah Gomez, a 26 year old American missionary in Mexico, was kidnapped Thursday afternoon by a gang of thugs.

Nehemiah father, Jose Gomez, said that the kidnappers called him Thursday night and told him he had until the end of the day on Friday to deliver the ransom money.

The kidnappers are reportedly asking for $30,000.

The eyesontheusa.com PR detailing the ransom amount has been removed at the request of the family, however, multiple copies of the press release were reposted on various forums

As of today, no ransom has been delivered. The father said he did not have the capabilities to come up with the money.