DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A member of Qatar's ruling family has paid $2 million to a Greek shoe salesman's firm to secure "proof of life" and ultimately free relatives and others kidnapped in Iraq over year ago, presumably by Shiite militiamen. The payment, disclosed in U.S. Justice Department documents examined by The Associated Press, shed new light on the opaque world of private hostage negotiation in the Middle East in a case that now involves hackers, encrypted internet communication and promises of millions of dollars in ransom payments. The energy-rich country has long faced allegations of not doing enough to stop money from reaching Islamic extremists, including those fighting alongside the rebels in Syria. The contract calls for the group "to obtain proof of life," speak to government agencies and "attempt to negotiate with captors for the release of captive members of the royal family of Qatar." Qatar remains an important Western ally, hosting some 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. Goudamanis works as international sales director for House of Brands, a San Diego-area shoe company, and is associated with a website called Naughty Monkey, which sells women's shoes. In recent weeks, the group apparently backed hackers who started a social media campaign and launched a website seeking information on the kidnapped Qataris on the darknet, a part of the internet hosted within an encrypted network and accessible only through specialized anonymity-providing tools.
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