A hostage taker, also known as a CAPTOR, is someone who takes another person or group of people hostage in order to gain leverage or make demands. Hostage taking is a criminal act that is often used in political or military conflicts, but it can also be used in other contexts such as kidnapping for ransom. The CAPTOR typically uses threats of violence or other forms of coercion to keep the hostages in line and to ensure their compliance with the CAPTOR's demands.