U.S. journalists Theo Curtis, Matt Schrier held hostage by Canadians in Syria [View all]

U.S. journalists Theo Curtis, Matt Schrier held hostage by Canadians in Syria

http://www.cbc.ca/news/u-s-journalists-theo-curtis-matt-schrier-held-hostage-by-canadians-in-syria-1.2754402

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At least three Canadians who joined an al-Qaeda-linked militant group in Syria were directly involved in the holding and harsh interrogation of two U.S. journalists in the region, CBC News has confirmed.

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The Canadian captors reportedly forced the hostages to hand over their computer passwords and PINs, draining their accounts. They then callously wrote letters and emails to the journalists' families pretending to be the men, and then set about going after their credit cards and racking them up, buying electronics and computers on eBay, according to the sources.

Those Canadians are believed to be alive and still at it — and their ranks seem to be swelling.

For the better part of a year, the Canadian government spoke of 130 being the rough number of Canadians fighting overseas with extremist groups, largely in Syria. That number is now thought to be vastly underestimating the total number.

From CBC's investigations, it now appears that the 200 to 300 range is more accurate.

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