The New York Times was prepared to pay Taliban kidnappers a $5 million ransom to free its reporter David S. Rohde, who escaped Friday after seven months of captivity, according to a source with direct knowledge of the case.

Over months of secret contacts with Rohde's captors preceding his escape, The New York Times accepted the prospect of paying the ransom to free Rohde, said the source, who was involved in the hunt for Rohde. The source insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

Bill Keller, the executive editor of the Times, refused to comment Saturday on the circumstances that led to Rohde's release, but said, "We paid no ransom."