Turkish Businessman Taken Hostage
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Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey - One of Turkey's richest businessmen said he has been kidnapped in Iraq, appearing in a video aired Saturday alongside one of his weeping employees and saying they were being treated well by their captors.
Kahraman Sadikoglu, president of the Istanbul-based Tuzla Shipyard, and ship captain Ahmet Yurtdas had not been heard from since they left the southern Iraqi city of Basra by land on Dec. 16, according to their families.
The footage did not say who was holding the two men or mention demands.
Several newspapers said a ransom demand of $25 million had been made, but Foreign Ministry officials and family members of the hostages refused to confirm the reports.
"Today is Dec. 23. We were captured four or five days ago," Sadikoglu said on the videotape, broadcast on Turkish television. "We're fine and they will check us out, what we're doing here, and will hopefully release us. God is Great."
Sadikoglu said he was working for the United Nations and the Iraqi government on a project clearing harbors of sunken ships. "We don't have any problems with the Iraqi government, we're creating jobs and food for the Iraqis," he said. "If that is a crime too, then we will accept the punishment."
Hopefully Sadikoglu will be freed and if the reports indicating a ransom has been called for, his release is more probable. He was however working to better lives of Iraqis and pursue Democracy inside of Iraq therefore he is a target as designated by the two main terrorist groups in Iraq.
With a growing hostage trade, though it has quieted down significantly since the U.S. and Iraqi forces cleared Fallujah, Sadikoglu may end up in the hands of terrorists who could care less about money and only care about making a statement by beheading anyone helping Iraqis.
Cross-posted at In the Bullpen
Posted by: Chad at
08:28 PM
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1
Chad, Do you know what area of Iraq these people were snatched from?
I saw a poll recently asking people what country do they think is really interfering in Iraq? I felt Syria and Iran but most votes went to Turkey. I'm trying to figure out why Turkey, especially since they helped us and the coalition forces come in and out of that area of Iraq at the beginning of the war, so how can Turkey be the most serious country interfering in this war????? doh..
Cindy
Posted by: firstbrokenangel at December 27, 2004 01:26 PM (D39Vm)
2
FROM THE DESK OF DR. SHAMSUDEEN USMAN
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION.LAGOS-NIGERIA
ATTENTION,
RE: PROPOSAL FOR PATICIPATORY FINANCIAL TRANSACTION.
I AM MAKING THIS CONTACT WITH YOU ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEGUES, AFTER AN ACCEPTANCE RECOMMENDATION FROM AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AGENCY.
MY COLLEGUES AND I ARE MEMBERS OF THE TENDER AND CONTRACT AWARD
COMMITTEE OF THE NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC).
I HAVE BEEN MANDATED BY MY COLLEGUES TO LOOK FOR A TRUST WORTHY
COMPANY /INDIVIDUAL IN WHO'S ACCOUNT SOME FUNDS COULD BE TRANSFERRED. WE HAVE IN OUR POSSESSION INSTRUMENT OF PAYMENT FOR US$48.5 MILLION (FOURTY-EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) WHICH IS NOW IN DEDICATED ACCOUNT WITH CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
THE ABOVE FUND CAME FROM THE OVER INVOICED CONTRACTS AWARDED TO
CONSORTIUM OF FOREIGN FIRMS IN 1999 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
ELEME PETROCHEMICAL AND LIQUIIFIED NATURAL GAS PLANT IN PORT-
HARCOURT WORTH $2.5BILLION US DOLLARS. THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN
EXECUTED AND THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORALSO HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL,
HENCE THE US $48.5 MILLION IN QUESTION IS THEREFORE FREE TO BE
TRANSFERRED OVERSEAS UPON THE SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR CLAIMS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS FUND IT HAS TO BE APPLIED FOR BY FOREIGN CONTRACTOR OR COMPANY, AND PAYMENT CAN ONLY BE MADE INTO
A FOREIGN ACCOUNT,HENCE THIS CONTRACT IS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH
THIS DEAL. YOU OR YOUR COMPANY SHALL BE COMPENSATED WITH 30% OF THE AMOUNT AS THE ACCOUNT OWNER,10% SHALL BE USED FOR THERE IMBURSEMENT OF ALL EXPENCES THAT WILL BE INCURED BY BOTH PARTIES DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION,WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR US,WITH THE 60%,YOUR ADVICE ON INVESTMENT AND OR OTHER THINGS WILL BE APPRECIATED. WE SHALL URGENTLY REQUIRE OF YOU THE FOLLOWING BY E-MAIL 1.NAME, FAX, PHONE NUMBER OF THE BENEFICIARY 2.NAME, AND FULL ADDRESS OF THE COMPANY
3.COMPLETE BANK INFORMATION WHERE YOU WISH THE FUND TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO.
MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE SOME FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH RELEVANT
TOP OFFICIALS OF BOTH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE (FMF) AND
THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) AND THEY HAVE AGGREED TO COOPERATE IN THE TRANSFER AND THE APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDS. THE TRANSFER SHALL BE MADE AT THE APPROPRIATE MINISTRY IN FAVOUR OF THE BENEFICIARY (YOU OR YOUR
COMPANY).
THEREFORE YOUR COMPANY SHALL BE OFFICIALLY REGARDED AS HAVING EXECUTED THE CONTRACT FOR THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) FOR WHICH PAYMENT IS BEING MADE, THIS PROCESS MAKES THE OPERATION LEGAL ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
PLEASE TREAT THIS TRANSACTION AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AS WE ARE CIVIL SERVANTS WHO WILL NOT WANT ANY EXPOSURE.
EXPECTING YOUR SOONEST REPLY VIA
BEST REGARDS
DR SHAMSUDEEN USMAN
Posted by: dr usman at March 04, 2005 08:52 AM (N29iC)
3
Dear Dr. Shamsudeen Usman
You talked to me with my cellular telphone today, 12.5.05, on 5 minutes to 17:00. I gave you my fax number and you sent me your letter by fax.
I have a startup company for investment. I want to check if you are real and fair because we got a lot of problems from people from nigeria who wanted to make extortion on us in Israel. Therefore, please tell me my two numbers that you know, that I can understand that you are the person that you talked to me, and we shall say everything in email.
Posted by: Dr. Yoram Shimrony at May 12, 2005 03:51 PM (OEO61)
4
Bloody nigerian fraudsters with their greedy little corrupt black hands.
Posted by: No Nigerians at June 21, 2005 02:36 AM (Tg2F7)
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