France, Germany and Italy paid some 45 million dollars (35 million euros) to obtain the release of hostages kidnapped in Iraq, despite denying it in public, The Times newspaper reported. Britain has not handed out any money to kidnap gangs, the paper added, basing its report on “documents seen by The Times”. The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments, arguing that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives, the paper said. Full Story