Mike Pechar reported Wednesday that Rory Carroll a reporter for the UK guardian had been kidnapped in Baghdad. Rory was held 36 hours before his release was secured. Today Roy tells his story.

CNN:I was also afraid that I would be handed over to another gang which would have bought me from the original gang. This other gang could turn out to be an insurgent group who in the past had beheaded Western hostages for propaganda purposes. That was my main concern.

Oh you bet. Glad to hear Rory is safe.

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The UK Guardian is reporting that its Baghdad correspondent, Rory Carroll, 33, is missing and it's believed he was kidnapped by a group of armed men. Carroll, an Irish citizen, is one of the more experienced journalists for the Guardian and he has been based in Iraq for the last nine months.

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Jeffrey Ake was in Iraq to help the people of that country secure a safe water supply when, on April 11th of this year, he was taken hostage. Days later a video emerged of Ake. Jeffrey Ake has not been heard from since.

Former hostage Terry Anderson later recounted that realizing that the world was indifferent to the fate of Western hostages was nearly as bad as the torment administered on them daily.

We will not forget the fate of the hostages still held in Iraq. We urge you to keep them in your prayers.

Here is a little about Jeffrey Ake from the Indy Star:

The lack of attention on Jeffrey Ake baffles people here.

On April 11, when Ake was seized by gunmen outside Baghdad, the well-known and longtime LaPorte resident was national news. He was in Iraq doing business as the country rebuilds, helping to build a water bottling plant...

The townsfolk sprang to action the way people do in such a crisis: They tied ribbons around trees in their yards, they spelled out "Pray for Jeff Ake" on the signs at their businesses, they expressed fear and hope to the media that swarmed them, and they organized a candlelight vigil.
And then, suddenly, Ake was not news. The candlelight vigil was canceled. Ake's neighbors suddenly went silent.

Today, with the six-month anniversary of his disappearance coming Tuesday, Ake's whereabouts remain unknown. The equally nagging question beyond what happened to him is why folks in LaPorte are mum about it.
As it turns out, they're just trying to help.

"His wife asked us to have no comment, so that's what we're doing," said Mel Turner, who lives next door to the Ake family.

Liliana Ake asked everyone to keep quiet because the FBI, the agency investigating Ake's disappearance, recommended it.

Ake's only hope is that Coalition forces are tipped to his whereabouts and is freed, as Roy Hallums recently was. After six-months it should be clear that silence is not a winning strategy. Keeping Jeffrey Ake's name in the forefront of the news so that forces on the ground will keep an eye out for him, and so that local Iraqis know who they are looking for.

In the meantime, we pray for his speedy release.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:16 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah, a well-known terrorist organization in Iraq with ties to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al Qaeda forces, has released a video in which two hostages are beheaded. The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video. Gruesome images from the video are posted below (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW).

The two innocent civilians are identified as Shaker Mahmoud Jassim and Riyadh Najim Abdullah. The timestamp on the video indicates it was made on September 12th of this year, but the video was not uploaded to the internet until today.

As in all such videos, the terrorists first force the victims to 'confess' to various crimes before they are murdered. Pronouncement of guilt is made on the victims under Islamic law. Thus, the murder and torture done by the terrorists is legitimized in the eyes of radicals as the legal execution of criminals for crimes against Islam. The beheading is done with a knife, is slow, and very painful.

Jassim is forced in the video to 'confess' that he works for the U.S. Army as an informant. As in all jihadi videos, American forces are portrayed as tools of a wider Jewish conspiracy.

The AP reports that Jassim urges in his 'confession':

I call on everyone who works with the Jews and the Americans to repent to God and leave this job.

"We have become slaves to money," he said before he was taken outside and decapitated.

That those who do not “come back to your religion and repent” will also be slaughtered.

The Army of Ansar al-Sunna is an offshoot of The Army of Ansar al-Islam, a Salafist terror organization with roots in Kurdish Iraq. After the fall of the Hussein Regime, the former leader of Ansar al-Islam, Musab al-Zarqawi, took foreign elements to found Tawhid and Jihad--later pledging loyalty to Osama bin Laden and changing the name, once again, to al Qaeda in the Land of Two Rivers (Mesopotamia, or Iraq). Ansar al-Sunnah and al Qaeda are believed to operate seperately now, but occasionally announce collaboration with one another.

This is the first beheading video in many months. These types of videos are propaganda meant for domestic purposes. The reason the terrorists in Iraq stopped producing beheading murder videos, and instead turning to videos of IED and other attacks on U.S. forces, is because they believed that they were doing more harm than good. Such videos tend to turn off the great mass of the Iraqi people, and especially Sunni Muslims on whom the terrorists depend for support and anonymity.

This video can only mean one thing: the terrorists have run into a wall in Iraq, they feel they must resort to threatening the population once again. The terrorists are slowly but surely losing.

Graphic images from the video below:

WARNING: PROCEED AT OWN RISK.

Why show these images? This is the true face of the so-called insurgents in Iraq. They are nothing more than terrorists scum who have a vision for Iraq similar to that of the Taliban in Afghanistan. They are waging jihad not only against Americans, but against Iraqis. Most media outlets will not show you what the terrorists are actually doing in Iraq. We will. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 03:44 PM | Comments (26) | Add Comment
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1 Yes, Rusty, every American adult should view these images so they can see the barbarians we are up against. If we sit around and wait 20 years and do nothing, then this is what will be going on here in the US. God forbid it!

Posted by: jesusland joe at October 05, 2005 04:46 PM (rUyw4)

2 I choose not to watch the videos. Just the same shit as before. Why see them again. More proof these people are not civilized. ARE THEY WORTH SAVING?

Posted by: greyrooster at October 05, 2005 06:06 PM (ywZa8)

3 Rooster - I totally get your point. At the same time, when a beheading becomes "old hat," then something is wrong. Each one should shock us and spur us into action. The images should strengthen our resolve to complete the task and send the murderers to their deaths.

Posted by: RomeoDelta at October 05, 2005 08:00 PM (Srmrz)

4 RomeoDelta: You're right. I just figure if the bastards figure I'm not going to view them maybe someone will be saved.

Posted by: greyrooster at October 05, 2005 08:44 PM (ywZa8)

5 Rush Limbaugh says America is at war, He is right on that count. However, Rush is a draft dodging drug addict that has no concept of 'war'. His foolish war is about 'ratings' and disagrrement between political ideology. Al-Qaeda and like MUSLIM organizations have sworn their life and children to the destruction of INFIDELS. That would be YOU, Mr. and Mrs. America! Visit HERE=> http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/contact1/pg4.html

Posted by: Beheading Videos at October 05, 2005 09:48 PM (tX99K)

6 And these "insurgents" are heros to millions, huh? What is wrong with this picture? I wonder what would happen if the media all of a sudden started calling a terrorist a terrorist? Maybe the world at large would get the idea .. finally. Beheaders are brutal, savage terrorists, period!

Posted by: Bubbe at October 05, 2005 10:23 PM (cbAi4)

7 Iraq's population out of Iraq NOW! eh? Yet again, the "root causes" of terrorism theory is completely blown by the senseless murder of their fellow Muslim neighbors. As usual coerced "confessions" are used to make the citizen confess to being an apostate which reaches it's sickening crescendo when the cutting off another Muslims head stops. I cannot comprehend the abject terror these men faced being lead out to their execution, knowing the brutal methods employed, and how long it takes to die, nor the pain inflicted upon them. may they find peace. Funny how you never see these images at a leftard rally, declaring the victories of the "minute men"

Posted by: dave at October 06, 2005 12:20 AM (CcXvt)

8 bunch of idiots killing their own people...and the worse part is that this *army's of god** whatever they call themselfs still find support from muslins?? when they goin to wake up and realize that they just wan to see blood they kill like 200 iraqis just to kill one american who is really killing their people us or them??

Posted by: realtouch at October 06, 2005 01:25 AM (SDgrr)

9 Dave: they'd probably be in a state of shock as soon as they started that last walk. As for the amount of time it takes to kill: have you ever read up on how kosher beef is slaughtered? A cut to the throat takes only a short moment to kill any creature. They're most likely dead long before the blade hit the bone. Not to mention that the windpipe was likely severed, the body under those conditions isn't going to sustain. And for all of those here that believe you're still alive for six seconds after being beheaded: consider that cutting off a finger can put a person into shock, getting your head cut off would probably do the same. Also dave, who ever said the left wing says we're winning? If anything that's more of a right wing state of thinking. The left consider this continuing battle a loss, another Nam. Realtouch: beheaded one's own citizenry is by no means new. The french (at the time considered the most civilized society) had beheadings. And yes, we're americans, we hate the french, but being intelligent americans we recognize that history repeats itself. The middle east is doing what all other societies have done in the past. This type of violence is infamous in history. And for all of you who would berate me for what i've just said: I've served in the IDF in the reserve unit Sar-El. My first base being Anatot which lies right on the border of the West Bank.

Posted by: WizrdKing at October 06, 2005 02:50 AM (xxmfk)

10 WizardKing: As you mentioned the French Revolution, You have most likely read the same litrature as I, that spoke of the head of the scientist that was rumored to have blinked thirteen times, after he said he would try to blink until he lost consciousness after decapitation. Truly a thought that kept me awake. Although your original assessment is correct, hypovolemic shock would most likely set in as soon as the head were severed. As for the Left, I was mentioning Micheal Moore's reference to the terrorists as "Minute men" as some of the left call them, or the "Iraqi Resistance" and why they ignore the blatant barbarism, you will never hear them mention it!

Posted by: dave at October 06, 2005 07:01 AM (CcXvt)

11 Wizrdking: My problem with your blog is as follows. (1) I cut my left middle finger off in a boat propeller once. IT HURT LIKE HELL. When they reattached it it HURT LIKE HELL. And for 6 weeks afterward in HURT LIKE HELL. Try it. (2) We slaughter animals all the time. Hogs and steers. Dead before the knife hits the bone. Bullshit! After trying the Jewish system I now shoot them between the eyes first to save the animal pain. Just Jewish propoganda to justify their cruel method of slaughter. What Jews do to animals is their business but don't feed me bullshit to justify it. I justify it as another cruelity brought about by religion. I don't fight against kosher butchering (butchering is a good word for it) because I figure mother nature is much more cruel. If you guys choose to dress funny and not eat pork chops I will fight for your right to be as you are. But don't feed me bullshit. I could change my mind.

Posted by: greyrooster at October 06, 2005 07:02 AM (M7kiy)

12 Wizardking: Just thought of something else that doesn't go down right. "BEING AN AMERICAN" You served in the IDF. Have you served in the United States Military? Hmmmmm. Is that like "being an American I served in the PLO". WEIRD!

Posted by: greyrooster at October 06, 2005 07:12 AM (M7kiy)

13 oh, the Muslims were beheading people hundreds of years before France started, they've just never stopped. Mohammed himself was present at the mass beheading of a Jewish tribe in Medina. It will never be history to Islam unless they rewrite their Koran and the sections like: "Therefore, when ye meet the Unbeliever's in fight, smite at their necks; at length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind the captives firmly: therefore is the time for either generosity or ransom until the war lays down its burdens. " To name but a few.

Posted by: dave at October 06, 2005 07:12 AM (CcXvt)

14 Beheading videos: Ah! But Rush tells it like it is. He is a tool and has much value.

Posted by: greyrooster at October 06, 2005 07:15 AM (M7kiy)

15 Well I for one am glad to hear that the the terrorists have run into a wall. Between turning the corner,last throes, acts of desperation, et al I was beginning to think that our side was running low on positive meraphors. Rusty the converse view of your analysis id that the Army of Ansar now believes that poblic opinion is now so strongly behind them that they now will accept such videos. The vote on the constitution is coming up very soon after all the great things that were said about it "historic" the odds (English bookmakers) are lookung lomg, and a civil/religous war looking more possible. Will these United States decide to support one side over the other ? or actlike a referee and just try and keep them apart.A noble effort,peacekeeping, but it may make us a target for both sides, As far as journalists being shot; Rusty the only way to win this war is to show our moral superiorty. Rusty if we do start executing politically incottect/anti war journalists for not toeing the party line should we do videos also? Tp deter others? What about bloggers who defame these United States? Or politicans who vote against abuse and torture? What about bloggers who link to sites that show propoganda coming from the enemy? What about .........YOU !!!

Posted by: john Ryan at October 06, 2005 08:00 AM (ads7K)

16 Ryan I have a better one. WHAT ABOUT YOU!

Posted by: greyrooster at October 06, 2005 08:23 AM (M7kiy)

17 Word of caution to the uninformed: these terrorists slowly behead their victims. They use knives. The victims can be heard trying to scream and breathe as the knife cuts and air rushes from their lungs. These are not men with swords who take the heads in one chop.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at October 06, 2005 09:18 AM (JQjhA)

18 John Ryan: You know what wins wars better than "Moral Superiority" ? actual firepower, and weapon superiority and the willingness to use it. The PC nature of this war, and the constant attempt to not offend delicate Muslim sensibilities, while allowing the label of "religion of peace" to be used constantly is really degrading the war effort.

Posted by: dave at October 06, 2005 10:03 AM (CcXvt)

19 Greyrooster, Sar-El is a multi-national volunteer reserve unit. It draws members from all around the globe. Sorry if i didn't clarify that earlier

Posted by: WizrdKing at October 06, 2005 12:00 PM (x8oLi)

20 John Ryan: fingers on home keys, please. And your yammering is getting on my nerves. Your constant blathering about "we have to keep the moral high ground" is duly noted. Mkay? How many times are you going to keep repeating the same mantra? At this point, we could descend much farther down the ladder of "morality" and still be leaps and bounds above the enemy. We can never reach the level of morality others have set for us. We're human. We make mistakes. We try to correct them. Morality will not win this war. They're idea of morality, and all those who support the "insurgency", is far removed from what ours is. They do not recognize that morality. What will win this war is killing the enemy and demoralizing all those who might consider joining the enemy. Period. Take a step outside your perfect little bubble of idealism and have a good hard look at what's going on in the world. And since you're so good at preaching morals, why don't you just head right on over to the middle east and preach to the jihadis and their supporters what "morality" is.

Posted by: Oyster at October 06, 2005 12:05 PM (YudAC)

21 Thank you for posting those heinous pictures. We get way too comfortable over here in the USA, just seeing anti-American images on TV. And the vast majority of Americans totally forget about 9-11 and forget about the true nature of those with whom we are at war.

Posted by: reverse_vampyr at October 06, 2005 02:11 PM (Ns5kk)

22 America is at war with itself, fools.

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at October 07, 2005 05:57 AM (A5eqb)

23 Downing street Moron: I believe Al Sharpton 1st made that quote. Oh well! Birds of a feather say the same things together. What it be willie.

Posted by: greyrooster at October 07, 2005 10:19 AM (M7kiy)

24 The guy in the second picture looks like Downing Street Moron's daddy. His mommy has nappy hair. I guess he's what you call a black muslim. Ha! I just discovered the reason for his hatred of white America.

Posted by: greyrooster at October 07, 2005 10:23 AM (M7kiy)

25 At least we can take comfort from the fact that they were beheaded in an introspective, peaceful inner struggle, culturally sensitive sort of way. I want to hear Bush talk more about this religion of peace I keep hearing about.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at November 19, 2005 11:02 AM (0yYS2)

26 colobration with invader that what they deserve you forget that american killing thousand iraqi innocent and use the camical wapeon and use everything to take a free oil .that what they deserve die .....even no muslim japnees or comminist will make the same way to those colobration with invaders safi

Posted by: foula at November 30, 2005 07:01 AM (jEsFz)

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Here's a former hostage I'd like to meet. Micah Geren is right up there with former hostage Ulf Hjertstrom, who hired bounty hunters to go after the terrorist scumbags who held him before he escaped.

Daily News:

Armed with a shiv he made by tying together three sharp palm fronds, Micah Garen, the Manhattan documentary filmmaker kidnapped in southern Iraq last year, vowed to fight his way to freedom if his captors tried to behead him, he said yesterday....

The most nerve-racking moment of Garen's captivity was when he found out he was being led away to make a video.

"Were they planning to kill me on video?" he asked himself, all too aware of the gruesome deaths of fellow Americans Nick Berg and Daniel Pearl at the hands of their kidnappers.

"As my blindfold came off, the world came into focus," he writes in the book. "I looked around at the men's hands and at their waistbands, to see if anyone had a large knife, a sign to me that I was about to be beheaded.

"I didn't see one, but they would probably hide it. I moved my left hand down next to my pocket with the shiv, studying the room for opportunity."

When a man with bare feet knelt down behind Garen, he formed a plan in his mind.

"If something happened, if someone pulled out a knife, I would stab his foot with my shiv, and in the commotion go after a gun," Garen wrote.

Posted by: Rusty at 02:54 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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Over the weekend, al Qaeda made a bogus claim that it was holding two Marines hostage in Iraq, and later that the two had been executed. While such fictional claims are nothing new from al Qaeda, it serves as a reminder that several American civilians reamain in captivity.

We've been getting a number of hits about Dean Sadek today (thanks to Tim at Opinion Bug for the tip). Hopefully there is some impending good news that has not yet hit the MSM yet.

Mohammad Radeen Sadeq (better known by his Americanized name 'Dean Sadek') was working at the Baghdad airport as a civillian contractor when he was abducted from his home. It's not clear the exact date he was abducted, but al Jazeera showed a videotape released by the terrorist 1920 Brigades organization showing Sadek on Nov. 11th.

Dean Sadek was born in Lebanon but was a naturalized U.S. citizen who lived in the Charlotte, N.C. area. Dean Sadek's ex-sister-in-law left this comment saying Dean:

is a kind, giving individual who loves his two sons dearly. I'm hoping by he being of Lebanese descent that it would be in his favor. ...Why is he there? He is there to help the good people... If he loses his life he would be one more of the heroes to win freedom for others. I am totally devasted everyday not knowing what will happen to him besides his immediate family and children. My prayers are with him and the others daily fighting for freedom of others.

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