The principles - one of inflexibility and the other of compromise

So, in spite of it all, this happened and apparently continues to do so and not occasionally but continually:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Paying-ransoms-Europe-bankrolls-al-Qaida-terror/articleshow/39277800.cms

What is the lesson to learn here?
It is when EU citizens travel, be they private, corporate or government personnel, they must do so with an appropriate number of mafia or yakuza or tong baggage assistants and valets.
CIA, FBI, CID or MI5 are really not that good.
It is much cheaper than paying ransoms.