The Islamic army in Iraq yesterday released a video in which it threatens to murder five men from Sudan unless Sudan breaks all ties with Iraq. I have a copy of the video and will email it by request. It is also posted here(Real Video format only).

The Star : Al-Qaida in Iraq set a Saturday deadline for Sudan to "announce clearly that it is cutting its relations" with the Iraqi government and "is closing its embassy in Baghdad, as well as withdrawing all of its representatives." "Otherwise, this government will bear the responsibility of presenting their diplomats as sacrifices," the statement said.

Updated: The government of Sudan has stated it will close it's embassy and withdraw from Iraq. I expect this will secure the release of their hostages and I'm happy for that. Let's not forget this week's incident in Egypt relates to the fact that Sudan supports militia that is committing genocide in Darfur. I was a bit confused as to why Al-Qaeda would kidnap people from Sudan given that relationship. It all makes sense now. I have a question I would like Condi to ask Sudan next time she goes there. How does it feel to be Al-Qaeda's bitch? NPR reported Sudan's decision last night on ATC.

Alertnet has a complete hostage list posted as of December 23rd.

Following is a list of foreigners believed to be held hostage in Iraq: HOSTAGE NATIONALITY DATE OF CAPTURE Mohammed Rifat Canada April 8, 2004 Wael Mamduh Jordan April 12 Saad Saadoun Kuwait June 5 Ali Ahmed Mousa Somalia July 29 Unidentified hostage Jordan Sept 1* Four unidentified hostages Jordan Sept 5* Two unidentified hostages East Asian Sept 13* Khalifa al-Breizat Jordan Sept 14* Two unidentified hostages Turkey Sept 14 One unidentified hostage Syria Sept 16 Unidentified hostage Turkey Oct 9 Two unidentified hostages Turkey Oct 14 Unidentified Somalia Oct 30 Noureddin Zakaria Sudan Oct 30 Radim Sadiq U.S. Nov 2 Ghazi Abu Hamzeh Lebanon Nov 13* Two unnamed Turkey Dec 25 Two unidentified South Korea Jan 9, 2005* Unidentified Turkey Jan 13 Sayed Abdel Khalek Egypt Jan 13* Joao Jose Vasconcelos Jr. Brazil Jan 19 Mohammed Haroun Hamad Sudan March 9* Maher Ataya Sudan March 9* Nabil Tawfiq Sulaiman Egypt March 19 Mitwali Mohammed Qassem Egypt March 19 Jeffrey Ake U.S. April 11 Six unidentified Jordan May 6 Ali Abdullah Turkey June 7 Unidentified Turkey June 21* Samuel Edward Egypt Sept 26 Abderrahim Boualam Morocco Oct 20 Abdelkrim El Mouhafidim Morocco Oct 20 Norman Kember Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23 2 Ghazi Abu Hamzeh Lebanon Nov 13* Two unnamed Turkey Dec 25 Two unidentified South Korea Jan 9, 2005* Unidentified Turkey Jan 13 Sayed Abdel Khalek Egypt Jan 13* Joao Jose Vasconcelos Jr. Brazil Jan 19 Mohammed Haroun Hamad Sudan March 9* Maher Ataya Sudan March 9* Nabil Tawfiq Sulaiman Egypt March 19 Mitwali Mohammed Qassem Egypt March 19 Jeffrey Ake U.S. April 11 Six unidentified Jordan May 6 Ali Abdullah Turkey June 7 Unidentified Turkey June 21* Samuel Edward Egypt Sept 26 Abderrahim Boualam Morocco Oct 20 Abdelkrim El Mouhafidim Morocco Oct 20 Norman Kember Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23 Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTE: *Date kidnap announced.

As you can see from the list no nation escapes these coward's crimes. Victims are chosen as much by chance and opportunity as by plan. A grievance can always be thought of after the fact.

The families of the CPT hostages have issued a new appeal for the lives of Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney and Harmet Sooden. The deadline has long since passed on these hostages but no announcement of their fate has been issued.

CNN:"A month has passed since our loved ones -- Norman, James, Harmeet and Tom -- were kidnapped in Iraq," read the statement, posted Friday on the British Foreign Office Web site.. "Many clerics and religious figures from the Arab and Muslim world have spoken over the past weeks of the good work they were doing in Iraq and that their organization has done in Palestine, and they have called for their release. "We appeal to you to help us ensure the safe return of our relatives."

This Kidnapping of Sudanese hostages shows that Zarqawi will kill anyone at any time just for the publicity of it. Algeria another Muslim nation asked Interpol to issue an international warrant for him this week. Truly he and those who support the Al-Qaeda doctrine leave an indelible stain on the reputation of the Arab world and Islam. This stain must be cut out and destroyed before they inflict more suffering on all the peoples of the world. Al-Qaeda is about as much and ally to Islam and the Arab world as Hitler was to Poland.

CNN:The agency issued the "Red Notice" at the request of the North African nation of Algeria, which is pursuing the arrest of the insurgent leader "in connection with the kidnapping and murder" in July of two Algerian diplomats in Iraq.

I had several Jihadi emails with I dare you to click these links. Be carful new windows secuity hole you know. Me no clicky OK. I also had the email below the break. Same source as a similar email I posted once before. I cannot verify the authenticity but I like the content so in it goes.

Hat Tip: Infovlad for finding and posting the Video.

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An unkown group has taken at least six Sudanese embassy employees hostage. The Sudanese government, a long-time state-sponsor of terrorism itself, reports that it is in negotiations for the release of the hostages.

In related news, a leading Sunni Muslim cleric has reportedly 'condemned' the kidnappings of two Moroccan embassy workers, a driver, Abderrahim Boualam, and a diplomatic employee, Abdelkrim el-Mouhafidi, taken hostage in October. Al Qaeda had threatened to murder the hostages and had already reported that an Islamic court had issued the death sentence to them for 'apostasy'. In actuality, the 'theologian' only conditionally condemned the hostage taking. Instead of claiming that hostage taking was intrinsically wrong, he condemned al Qaeda's actions by saying that it was wrong to kidnap Muslims.

Maghreb Agabe Press:

"The two Moroccan citizens have no link with the Iraqi issue. They are innocents," he underlined in a statement broadcast Monday by Arabic Channel "Al Arabiya." [italics added]

"I ask the parties who hold the two Moroccan hostages Abdelkarim Mohafidi and Abderrahim Boualam to release them because they are mere employees and their families are living painful moments," added Koubaysi, an eminent theologist who graduated from the Egyptian university of Al Azhar.

He recalled that Islam “taught us mercy even to the enemy”, stressing that the two Moroccan citizens “are not enemies but belong to the Ummah (Islamic Nation), and are not responsible for what is going on in Iraq”.[italics added]

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Giuliana Srgena, eat your heart out.

Well, I can tell you this much, if something bad should happen to Frau Osthoff, it wouldn't garner anywhere near the empathy I still tenaciously cling to for the CPT hostages.

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American Jeffrey Ake was taken hostage eight months ago. He was in Iraq to help with water purification. You mean you haven't heard of Jeffrey Ake? Apparantly, hostages who are not Leftists merit little media attention, no mass protests, and not a single bit of 'concern' from Muslim clerics. Where is the outrage?

South Bend Tribune (hat tip: George):

With Christmas drawing near, Jeff Ake and his family remain in the thoughts and prayers of many in his hometown LaPorte.

Eight months ago, the 47-year-old Ake, the owner of Equipment Express in Rolling Prairie, was taken hostage in Iraq while working at a water treatment plant near Baghdad....

Still fresh in the minds of many is the image of Ake flanked by gunmen on television screens across the globe.

Gradually, the vast media spotlight cast upon the city has dimmed along with the seemingly never-ending chitchat in the barber shops, taverns and other gathering places.

"After about two months you stopped hearing about it," said Julie Meyers, a hair stylist at Carter's Barber Shop at 711 Jefferson Ave.

Nevertheless, Ake hasn't been forgotten, judging by signs posted around the city offering prayer and encouragement for Ake and his wife, Lilliana, and their four children.

And in his bid to keep public awareness alive, Mayor Leigh Morris continues to call for God's blessing on Ake and his entire family at the start of each city council meeting.

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German Trade-off Suspected in Release of Terrorist Killer

(CNSNews.com) - Germany freed the murderer of a U.S. Navy diver despite personal intervention by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the State Department has confirmed, amid speculation that Berlin let the Hizballah terrorist go as part of a deal to free a German hostage in Iraq.

Mohammed Ali Hamadi flew to Lebanon after being released last week, 18 years after he was sentenced to "life" imprisonment for hijacking a U.S. airliner in 1985 and killing 23-year-old Petty Officer Robert Stethem.

Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S., and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora appeared unmoved Wednesday by American requests that Hamadi be handed over. (snip)

Hamadi reportedly flew to Lebanon last Thursday. Three days later, Berlin announced that Susanne Osthoff, an archaeologist taken hostage in Iraq on Nov. 25, was safely in German hands.

"Several officials have said Osthoff's release did not involve paying ransom money, but was rather a 'diplomatic gesture.' It remains a source of speculation what that gesture was."

Officials declined to provide details of the negotiations with the hostage-takers. Deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler said Monday that doing so could benefit the perpetrators of future kidnappings.

The perps have already "benefitted" Mr Erler as now they are aware that the German government will trade high value terrorist murderers for hostages.

Companion OpiniPundit

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(Gaza Strip) Two teachers at the American International School in Gaza were abducted by four masked and armed kidnappers on Nasser Street in the Gaza City. Dutch citizen Hindrich Tatchken, principal of the American School in Gaza and his deputy Brian Improjio, an Australian national. Dutchman Hendrik Taatgen (aka Hindrich Tatchken) and Australian Brian Ambrosio (aka Improjio) were forced from their car as they approached the school in the northern Gaza Strip. They were bundled into another vehicle which then sped away.

Witnesses in northern Gaza say the teachers were on their way to a private school that follows the American curriculum for the last day of term before Christmas holidays.

"They were intercepted by between two to three other cars and then taken away," said a witness.

The identity of the kidnappers is not presently known but it is known that both teachers are solid supporters of Palestinian causes. Although the number of kidnappings in Gaza has risen in the recent past, most are released unharmed after some "negotiation," if you get my drift. (Source)

[Update]

According to a Reuters report, the two teachers were released after eight hours following the involvement of a lawmaker from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The kidnappers were PFLP gunmen who kidnapped the teachers to secure the release of jailed leaders.

The PFLP has said the abduction was to pressure the Palestinian Authority to release leaders jailed in the West Bank town of Jericho for killing an Israeli cabinet minister in 2001.

The PFLP leaders are guarded under U.S. and British supervision.

"This is our first message, first to the Authority and secondly to the Zionist, American and British enemy. Our message is not directed to the peoples of the two hostages," said a PFLP statement in Gaza.

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Reports are trickling in that a hostage negotiator who had made contact with the 'Swords of Righteousness Brigade' in an effort to free four Western peace activists has himself been taken hostage. The hostage negotiator is a local Iraqi who has previous experience in high-profile abductions. The man is said to have been missing since December 8th.

Norman Kember of England, American Thomas Fox, and Canadians James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden were taken hostage by an unknown group calling themselves 'The Swords of Righteousness Brigade'. 'As first revealed at The Jawa Report, The Swords of Righteousness Brigade' has been linked to the Islamic Army in Iraq. The Islamic Army in Iraq is an al Qaeda linked Salaafist jihadi group that has murdered foreign hostages in the past.

Curiously, the Islamic Army in Iraq website has been silent on the fate of the four hostages. Even more curious is the fact that although the group claimed responsibility for the murder of American hostage Ronald Schulz at an online forum frequented by jihadis, the Islamic Army in Iraq website has made no mention of it nor have they released the usual hostage snuff video.

The fact that the negotiator sent in to obtain the release of the four hostages may have been taken hostage himself is a bad sign. Hope for the best, pray for a miracle, but be prepared for the worst.

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The Jawa Report was the first media outlet to report that there was a possible connection between the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, the group responsible for kidnapping four Western peace activists in Iraq, in a November 29th posting. In fact, what is said by the director of the SITE Institute in this Canadian National Post article comes awfully close to plagiarism.

The kidnappers holding four Christian activists hostage are connected to the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), one of the country's leading insurgent groups, a U.S. researcher said yesterday.

Although the previously unknown Swords of Righteousness Brigades has claimed it kidnapped the two Canadians, one Briton and one American, the SITE Institute said it had found ties to the Islamic Army. At least two of the videotaped statements issued by the hostage-takers were uploaded on to a hidden directory on the IAI Web site prior to broadcast, suggesting a link to the insurgent group, Rita Katz said.

"I would say that there is a strong connection between the hostage-takers and the Islamic Army," said Ms. Katz, director of SITE, a U.S. terrorist research organization that monitors jihadist Internet activities.

If correct, the link is worrisome because the Islamic Army has killed most of the hostages it has taken, including Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni. A statement from the group last week claimed that American consultant Ronald Allen Schulz had been executed....

The SITE Institute came across the IAI link last week, when the kidnappers issued a videotaped statement extending the deadline for meeting its demands until Saturday.

The video showed Canadian hostages James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, as well as U.S. hostage Tom Fox, 54, and Briton Norman Kember, 74. All are members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams.

Ms. Katz said the video was hidden on a part of the Islamic Army Web site that only those in contact with the administrator would have been able to access. The research group later discovered that another video issued by the kidnappers had also been uploaded on to the Islamic Army site. "Apparently the first video that was received was also posted on that same hidden directory," she said.

She did not go public with the information at the time, fearing it could prompt the kidnappers to kill the hostages. Instead, she alerted U.S. investigators in Iraq.

But she said now that the deadline has passed without word of the fate of the hostages, she felt it was time to make public the link to the major insurgent group, the second- or third-largest in Iraq....

The nature of the relationship between the hostage-takers and the Islamic Army remains unclear, but is being investigated by U.S. authorities. One expert speculated the Swords of Righteousness could be nothing more than a front for the Islamic Army, possibly set up to raise money through ransom while distancing itself from the unsavoury act of kidnapping for money.

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Perhaps a case of whistling past the graveyard, but Iraqi President Jalal Talabani thinks that German hostage Susanne Osthoff will not be killed. Osthoff is an archaeologist abducted nearly two weeks ago. From United Press International:

"There is no reason or motive for terrorists to kill a German citizen," he said in a television interview Sunday night. "Germany did not have any troops here and did not take part in the war."

"We have tried our best to find out where she is and which group is behind the kidnapping," he told German public TV station ARD, adding that he deemed it helpful for German politicians to continue to speak publicly about the kidnapping.

Osthoff's kidnapping has been overshadowed in the news by the abductions of the four Christian Peacemaker Teams members.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto.

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Recent headlines all over the world boast that Sunni clerics have called for the immediate release of four Western peace activists held hostage in Iraq. Why is it news when Muslims call for the release of hostages? Why is it news when any one calls for the release of hostages? The very nature of 'news' is that it documents the unusual, and not the mundane.

Any human being with any amount of decency deplores the kidnapping of civilians in Iraq. They deplore it even more when those hostages are murdered in the name of Islam after a mock sharia trial finds the hostages guilty of 'apostasy', 'collaboration', or of 'spying for the Zionist-Crussadors'. Moreover, any decent human being should deplore these hostage takings and murders regardless of who those hostages are.

If we show our concern by our actions, then many Sunni Muslim clerics, Leftist activists, and even many Christians are not, in fact, decent human beings. Why is this?

Headlines have recently told the story of calls for the release of four Western Peace Activists by Muslim clerics around the world. Joining their call for the release of those activists were former hostage Terri Waite and even a captured al Qaeda operative from his jail cell. In fact, pretty much all the forces opposed the U.S. have joined their united voices in condemning this disgusting act of barbarity.

We, of course, add our voices to those calling for the hostages release. What dismays us, though, is their deafening silence when it comes to the other hostages who are being held or who have been murdered in Iraq. These forgotten hostages have no advocacy groups behind them, and relatively few people seem to care about their plight at all.

Where were all of these Muslim clerics, 'Christians', & Left-wing activists when the Islamic Army in Iraq was threatening to murder Ronald Schulz? The American civilian hostage was murdered in Iraq yesterday without even so much as a blink from those so urgently calling for the release of the four peace activists taken hostage in Iraq: Norman Kember, Thomas Fox, James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden. Where is their outrage?

The duplicity of these groups reveals their inhumanity and gross sense of justice. An American's life is not worth fighting for when he is in Iraq to help rebuild that country. Not a word from Sunni Muslim clerics begging the Islamic Army in Iraq to release him. Not a word from a single Arab leader wishing for the release of a man who was engaged to a Jordanian woman. Not a word from a single 'Christian' group worried about the welfare of a presumably Christian man. Not a word from the Left.

No, these groups sympathies are not with the four peace activists because they are innocent civilians caught by a group of ruthless terrorist thugs. No, the Left-- including the 'Christian' Left -- and Muslim clerics reserve their efforts only to freeing those who they deem 'worthy'. The four peace activists are worthy of their efforts only because they were in Iraq to document abuses by American soldiers and were against the war. Sunnic clerics call for their release not because hostage-taking and murder is wrong, but because they had "condemned the war in Iraq." Had they been four American Halliburton employees, we would hear nothing from them.

The words of Markos Zunigas, from The Daily Kos, describing his feelings about the burnt bodies of American civilians being strung up by a mob in Iraq expresses precisely what these people think of innocent civilians who are not politically alligned with them: "screw them." The depths of their hypocrisy and inhunity knows no bounds.

Lest we forget -- and we would judging by MSM coverage -- there are a number of hostages currently being held in Iraq in addition to the four pacifists who have received so much attention lately. We pray for ALL of their releases because hostage taking and murdering captives is inhumane, immoral, and uncivilized behavior. They are:

German archaeologist Susanne Osthoff
French engineer Bernard Planche
American businessman Jeffrey Ake
American civilian Dean Sadek
American soldier Keith Maupin is listed as MIA.

If we have forgotten anybody, our apologies, but the lack of coverage from the media makes it extremely difficult to follow the plight of any hostage who does not have the sympathies of the Left.

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Last day in class today. Finals start next week. No time to read other blogs or much news today. If you want me to link one of your posts, please e-mail me and I'll add it to this one. Also, if you hear any words on hostages please e-mail me by clicking on contact link above.

The Washington Post says the U.S. military is probing a video that surfaced on the internet and purports to show indiscriminate weapons fire by private contractors directed at Iraqi civilians. MORE HERE. Of course, the context the MSM doesn't report on is that these vehicles have enormous signs on them warning other vehicles to stay back or they will be fired on. Still, the video does not look good and I applaud the military for looking into the matter.

Thank a soldier week starts on Dec. 19th. Get busy by going here and supporting our troops.

12 Days of Christmas presented by Cranky Neocon. Send this to your liberal buddies. Tons of great gift ideas for them.

UPDATE I: We've posted on this before, but it sooo cool. A guy, a blog, and his quest for a personal Navy. It's also a good cause. Phin has more here as does Confederate Yankee.

UPDATE II: Cop gets caught stealing evidence. Evidence just happens to be the victim's skull. Hilarity ensues.

UPDATE III: Pat Oliphant, asshat.

UPDATE IV: Krauthammer and Astute Blogger--both brilliant.

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UPDATE: An posting from the Islamic Armyin Iraq at an Islamic bulletin board claims that Ronald Schulz has been murdered. See this post for more information.
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A new video released by terrorists on an Islamic website today shows two of the four peace activists held hostage in Iraq in a scripted message asking for U.S. and U.K. troops to withdraw from Iraq. In the video, British hostage Norman Kember and American hostage Thomas Fox urge U.S. and U.K. withdrawal from Iraq several times, sometimes repeating themselves word for word.

Canadian hostages James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden are not seen on the video.

The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video (hat tip Tribeca). A transcript of the video and images from it are posted below. The video is being hosted by Laura Mansfield here in Real format and by Ogrish here (note: Ogrish's site has been revamped so that it is now safe for work) in .wmv format.

Although the group claiming to hold Kember calls itself 'The Swords of Truth Brigade', the website is linked to the Islamic Army in Iraq, the same group which has threatened to murder American civilian Ronald Schulz.

The hostages are seen blindfolded and in heavy chains. Like many other hostage videos, they are made to wear the orange jumpsuits reminiscent of Abu Ghraib. The video shows the hostages repeating their lines, sometimes in more than one take and at the direction of a voice heard offscreen.

Here is a transcript from the video:

American hostage Thomas Fox:

I'd like to offer my pleas to the people of America, not to the government of America--a plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for a release from captivity of all the people of Iraq. We are all suffering from the same fate, and that is the occupation of the American troops and the British troops which have brought me to this condition and has brought the Iraqi people to the condition they are in. So I would ask the people of America to do what they can to free us all from this captivity.

American hostage Thomas Fox in a second take:

We plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for the people of Iraq for the release from their captivity of the occupation of the American and British soldiers. We are all suffering the same fate, and the only way that we can all be free is for the American and British soldiers to leave Iraq as soon as possible.

British hostage Norman Kember:

I'm a Christian Peacemaker. I'm a friend of Iraq. I have been opposed to this war, Mr. Blair's war, since the very beginning. I ask of him now, and the British government, to do all that they can to work for my release and the release of the Iraqi people from oppression.

(Directed to say more from voice offscreen)

I have been opposed to the war, the British troops in Iraq, from the very beginning and I ask Mr. Blair, the British government, and the British people, to work both for my release and for the release of the Iraqi people from oppression.

(pans to two hostages, Norman Kember and Thomas Fox side by side, sounds of horn honking outside--end)

In response to the statements of the British Foreign Secretary

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the World, and prayers and peace to the Honest Prophet, and to his Family and his Companions:

And then:

So that all the world knows that we are standing by our legitimate demands and that we have heard the statements of the British Foreign Secretary, and so that we prove to the world that they are not serious in what they say, and so that we can show the liar who lies to the world, we extend the deadline for two more days to that the world can see the difference between the truthful ones and the liars.

The Sword of Righteousness Brigades

What is equally disturbing is the fact that the hostages probably believe every word they say. The video was every bit as predictable in it's content as it was disturbing.

UPDATE: I've been asked how to interpret the video. The images on the video are disturbing. Orange jumpsuits are often used by terrorist organizations in beheading and other snuff videos they produce. The shackles are also disturbing in that they are there to server as a symbol of humiliation.

The blindfolds are also very disturbing. If you remember the Giuliana Sgrena videos, she looked right into the camera as she cried.

So, the visuals tell the story that these hostages lives are indeed in danger.

However, what is being said is very different than what one would expect if the terrorists really were serious with their threats. Usually the hostages plea for their lives, but these are only told to plea for their release.

Speculating that their lives are not really in danger, though, is a luxery pundits have and that intelligence officials do not have. They must, out of necessity, treat the hostages as if their lives were immediately in danger because to assume otherwise, and be wrong, is too risky.

More images below. more...

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UPDATE: 12/08--The Jawa Report has learned that Ronald Shulz has been murdered. See this post for update.

The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the original video. Images from it are posted below and to the right. Unlike other hostage videos, the video edits out the terrorist sitting next to American hostage Ronald Schulz. This is very different than any other IAI produced hostage video I have seen. The image right is of Ronald Schuz's passport as seen in video. Schulz can be seen in the video speaking to one of his captors, but his voice cannot be heard.

Scroll to bottom of post for images. The video is rather large. UPDATE: Long-time Jawa collaborater and terror hunter Infovlad now has the video up here. See Dec. 7th post.

A smaller version of the video can be downloaded from Ogrish. UPDATE: The YNC also has the video here. Another update: Noted terror expert Laura Mansfield also with video--Hyscience also hosting video

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UPDATE: 12/08--The Jawa Report has learned that Ronald Schulz has been murdered. See this post for update.

UPDATE III: The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the original video. Images from it are posted below and to the right. Unlike other hostage videos, the video edits out the terrorist sitting next to American hostage Ronald Schulz. This is very different than any other IAI produced hostage video I have seen. The image right is of Ronald Schuz's passport as seen in video. Schulz can be seen in the video speaking to one of his captors, but his voice cannot be heard.

Scroll to bottom of post for images. The video is rather large, but if you would like to host it I will send it to you. A smaller version of the video can be downloaded from Ogrish. Update: The YNC also has video up. Another update: Noted terror expert Laura Mansfield also with video-Hyscience also hosting video more...

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A French civilian has been taken hostage in Iraq. His name is Bernard Planche. He is reported to be a civil engineer helping to rebuild Iraq. This would be the fourth French hostage taken in Iraq since the beginning of the war.

Forbes:

Masked gunmen grabbed a French engineer off the streets of Baghdad on Monday, the latest in a spate of kidnappings of Westerners that coincides with Saddam Hussein's trial and the run-up to parliamentary elections. ...

French officials had also warned Planche, who was abducted from outside his home in the Mansour district of the capital, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said.

The kidnappers used three cars to surrounded Planche and take him away, police Capt. Qassim Hussein said. Planche is the head of mission for a group that works on U.S.-funded water projects.

Diplomats have said they are in close contact with Iraqi authorities to win the release of the hostages.

See The Jawa Report's hostage page for more.

Developing...

Planche was in Iraq to work on water sanitation projects, much like American hostage Jeffrey Ake. He worked for AACCESS a U.N. recognized NGO and which was funded by the U.S. Army. Your mujahidin at work........

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We have finally obtained portions of the unedited hostage video of four Western peace activists. The names of the four activists are American Thomas Fox--who is also a blogger, Canadians Harmeet Singh Sooden and James Loney, and British citizen Norman Kember. The Jawa Report was the first media outlet to reveal the names of the hostages.

You can watch the video here (hat tip: Shawn at Bareknucklepolitics, Ian at Political Teen, and Doubletap at Infovlad--all of whom e-mailed me)

Here is a transcript of the video, via Doubletap at Infovlad:

Thank you very much we are being treated well and we hope to be out of here soon.

Um We are being treated well we are both well all of us are well.

We are all being treated well we are sleeping ok um and um we would like to thank the people holding us for that and hopefully we will be home soon.

I ask Mr Blair to take British troops out of Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government.

As a representative of Christian Peace Maker Teams we feel that continued British and American occupation is not in the best interest of the Iraqi people.

We will be following this hostage crisis carefully.

Developing.......

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1 It's hard to pour out your emotions when you're trying to stay on script. I wonder how many millions this scam will net the terrorists and their liberal/socialist/fascist/communist allies?

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at December 05, 2005 10:52 AM (0yYS2)

2 See. It's true. The terrorists aren't evil and wicked and deserving of death. They just share a "different perspective".

Posted by: thirdee at December 05, 2005 11:02 AM (kBsuN)

3 Just more jihadist propaganda for the Western media to lap up.

Posted by: jesusland joe at December 05, 2005 11:12 AM (rUyw4)

4 I'm witholding judgement on this incident until the first deadline passes.

Posted by: MCPO Airdale at December 05, 2005 11:30 AM (WOQ34)

5 Anyone else think this whole thing is staged to get the kidnappers some publicity? "We are being treated well... yes... very well! Thanks to our kidnappers! Totally, man!" I bet they just want to show the world how "nice and innocent" the terrorists are... and how eeeeeeeevil Bush and Blair are for attacking them.

Posted by: Ariya at December 05, 2005 11:59 AM (+sjRV)

6 From Jihad Watch: CAIR protests kidnapping of collaborators Has CAIR ever protested against the kidnapping of anyone else in Iraq? If so, please send me the links here and I will post them as updates. But this protest of the kidnapping of the collaborators is the first one I personally can recall ever seeing from them. From "Frenchman target of latest Iraq kidnapping," from AFP, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm: Just a day earlier, one of the most prominent US Muslim organizations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, became the latest group to demand the release of the four Western Christian peace activists kidnapped last week. The two Canadians, one Briton and an American, are linked to the US and Canada-based Christian Peacemaker Teams opposed to the continued presence of US-led foreign troops in Iraq. "Those who left the comfort of their homes to advocate for the rights of others that do not share their faith, ethnicity or language should be celebrated and honored by Muslims, not humiliated by being made captives or, God forbid, killed," said Parvez Ahmed, the organization's chairman. "This is a universal human ideal and a cherished principle of Islam." In other words, "They're on your side, you idiots. Let them go." So, I'm not just a voice crying in the wilderness.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at December 05, 2005 12:01 PM (0yYS2)

7 "Those who left the comfort of their homes to advocate for the rights of others that do not share their faith, ethnicity or language should be celebrated and honored by Muslims, not humiliated by being made captives or, God forbid, killed," Who wants to ask CAIR, seeing as that profile matches the U.S armed forces, if they want to condemn terrorism in Iraq now?

Posted by: dave at December 05, 2005 12:24 PM (CcXvt)

8 They're only trying to condemn the kidnapping of their dhimmi allies. Duh.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at December 05, 2005 12:25 PM (0yYS2)

9 I was trying for 'irony'

Posted by: dave at December 05, 2005 12:42 PM (CcXvt)

10 Treated well except for that held captive and threatened with death part.

Posted by: Howie at December 05, 2005 12:49 PM (D3+20)

11 They are not hostages - they are simply guests under alternative circumstances.

Posted by: hondo at December 05, 2005 01:08 PM (3aakz)

12 Ah hell they're probably having tea parties every evening.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at December 05, 2005 01:51 PM (0yYS2)

13 Tea parties, clean clothes and looks like they are having showers too. Dont seem too bad

Posted by: Patti at December 05, 2005 02:35 PM (2hEo4)

14 Lets do something about the video. I mean we cant get a better FTP site than that? Standard Windows Media Players cant access the video, even if you save target as. We are only allowed to update the Player so much. And btw, you get plenty military who access your site. Nice job GW!!!!!

Posted by: Capster at December 05, 2005 02:38 PM (JF5DO)

15 Greg the child molesting traitor will believe everything in the captives speech. Prood to him that America is bad.

Posted by: greyrooster at December 05, 2005 05:51 PM (9Dlss)

16 Scarry...The Canadians are eating and well dressed. The Brit and American are dressed up like prisoners...Hand-cuffs etc...I wonder what message they are sending....

Posted by: Bill at December 05, 2005 05:51 PM (snZLy)

17 Mr. Anderson, you disappoint me.

Posted by: Agent Smith at December 06, 2005 05:54 AM (VX7Tm)

18 Has there been anymore information about the CPT workers?

Posted by: Jill at December 07, 2005 08:53 AM (pbum3)

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UPDATE: We have the video. Links and transcript here.

UPDATE: Confirmed by MSM sources. We are working on obtaining the raw video.

According to Matt Drudge, Al Jazeera has broadcast a video which purportedly threatens the life of four Western peace activists in Iraq. The names of the four activists are American Thomas Fox--who is also a blogger, Canadians Harmeet Singh Sooden and James Loney, and British citizen Norman Kember. The Jawa Report was the first media outlet to reveal the names of the hostages.

Because of the many similarities between the kidnapping of anti-American journalist Guliana Sgrena, it has been widely speculated that the terror organization never planned to kill the hostages, but are using the four peace activists as tools to drum up antiwar sentiment. However, because the orignial hostage video was first released on a website (contrary to media reports that al Jazeera first released the video) that belonged to a known terrorist organization the threat may very well be real.

The Jawa Report will post images and links to the video as soon as they are available.

UPDATE: Ian at the Political Teen has the al Jazeera video and has it posted here as does Bareknucklepolitics. Both are of a CTV report, and the latter has audio. We are still working on getting the original video before it went through the al Jazeera editing process.

Breitbart:

Al-Jazeera television broadcast a videotape Friday in which kidnappers of four Christian peace activists threatened to kill their hostages unless all prisoners in U.S. and Iraqi detention centers are released. The kidnappers gave the two governments until Dec. 8 to meet their demands, Al-Jazeera quoted a statement delivered with the tape as saying....

All four appeared frightened.

The Canadians were shown eating from plates of what appeared to be Arabic sweets. In a second clip, the British and American hostages were shown to talking to the camera but no audio was transmitted.

The two were calling on the U.S. and British governments to withdraw from Iraq, Al-Jazeera reported, quoting a statement from the kidnappers, who earlier identified themselves as the Swords of Righteousness Brigade.

Developing....

More links at Pajama Media and in trackbacks below.

Please send tips to mypetjawa-at-gmail-dot-com and feel free to drop links to related stories in comments section.

Posted by: Rusty at 02:53 PM | Comments (25) | Add Comment
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The Army of Ansar al-Sunna has murdered a captured Iraqi jail guard named Nasser Had Ali in a new video released on the internet. The terrorist group has known ties to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq.

In the over 8 minute video, two masked terrorists hold guns to the victim's head and force him to confess to 'collaboration' and 'apostasy'. The victim warns others not to collaborate with the 'apostate' government of Iraq. Such confessions are routine in these Islamic snuff videos and provide legitimacy to the terrorist murders. Under Islamic law apostasy is punishable by the death penalty.

The hostage is then taken outside, in the dark, where he is shot by one of the terrorists with a pistol. I have sent the video to Bareknucklepolitics where portions of it may be seen here.

Here is the SITE report:

Ansar al-Sunnah issued an 8:30 minute video with a statement today, December 1, 2005, announcing the execution of an Iraqi guard for al-Jaderiya jail, Nasser Hadi Ali, who was charged with spying on the mujahideen and arresting imams and worshippers at mosques as part of a commission with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. The group claims that Ali had formerly aided the mujahideen, transporting their weapons, but he was “brainwashed” by the government.

The video depicts Nasser Had Ali seated blindfolded between two masked men carrying firearms as he “confesses” to the allegations levied against him. He is subsequently shot several times, according to “Allah’s order… to serve as an example for others.”

Posted by: Rusty at 09:07 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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When we first noticed the eary similarities between the Giuliana Sgrena kidnapping and the kidnapping of the four Western peace activists in Iraq, we had no idea just how uncanny the two situations would become. It turns out that American Thomas Fox, Canadians Harmeet Singh Sooden and James Loney, and British citizen Norman Kember were kidnapped in the exact same spot as Giuliana Sgrena.

Up to this point we have refrained from speculating that this hostage crisis could have been staged by the terror organization so that they could later release the hostages in a show of 'goodwill'. Our many readers and fellow bloggers have not been so restrained. However, in light of this new information...well, consider it a thought in the back of our collective heads which we just can't help thinking. In no way would this have to mean that the hostages were in on the hoax, only that the threat against their lives might not be real--especially if they were known by the terrorists to sympathize with their cause.

Why would terrorists do this? Well, look what happened during the Giuliana Sgrena crisis. Sgrena, who's sympathies were with the terrorists anyway, was more than happy to cry on cue and demand that Italy withdraw immediately from Iraq. The reaction from the Italian Left was overwhelming and the pressure mounted on the Burlesconi government to leave. Terrorists are not stupid. They choose tactics that they believe work. If it seemed to work once.....

If this is the case, then it is good news for the hostages as their eventual release is almost gauranteed. For the sake of the hostages, we hope this is so.

Guardian (hat tip Alicia):

Four Christian peace activists held hostage in Iraq were kidnapped at the same place where an Italian journalist was abducted, raising the possibility one group carried out both attacks, police said Thursday.

The style of the abduction also was similar: The activists were seized Saturday in the vicinity of a mosque near Baghdad University. A car blocked their car, gunmen got out, threw the driver and translator out and drove away with the four captives, security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media....

While in captivity, Sgrena also appeared in a video. She begged for her life and warned foreigners to leave the country.

Iraqi police Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said Thursday that the activists were kidnapped in the same place as Sgrena, whose release on March 4 touched off a tragic friendly fire incident that strained relations between Italy and the United States.

Posted by: Rusty at 07:29 PM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
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