Douglas Wood, an Alamo, California, resident with Australian citizenship, has been rescued by Iraqi forces backed by U.S. troops from his terrorist captors.

Developing. Check back later for updates.......

News.com Australia:

AUSTRALIAN hostage Douglas Wood is well and undergoing medical checks following his rescue more than six weeks after being kidnapped in Iraq.

The 63-year-old engineer, with numerous health problems, was in good health in Baghdad tonight, and he was under the protection of an Australian taskforce sent to Iraq to negotiate his release, Prime Minister John Howard told Parliament.
Mr Wood was freed this afternoon by Iraqi and US troops in Baghdad, Mr Howard said.

"I am delighted to inform the house that the Australian hostage in Iraq Mr Douglas Wood is safe from his captors," he said to cheers in Parliament.

"Mr Wood was recovered a short while ago in Baghdad in a military operation that I'm told was conducted by Iraqi forces."

Mr Wood was well and was undergoing medical checks while in the care of the Australian emergency response team, Mr Howard said.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer meanwhile said Mr Wood was in good shape, if mentally exhausted.

He said he had called the Wood family with the good news at 6pm.

A family spokesman said: "They are elated.

"They haven't spoken to him yet but I understand that all of the family know in all parts of the world."

Mr Wood, a US-based Australian with an American wife, Yvonne, and a daughter, Christina, has brothers living in Australia

Seventeen days later Iraq security forces stumbled by chance on the house where he was being held during an early-morning search in a northern suburb of Baghdad.

In an operation codenamed Lightning and supported by US advisers, the Iraqis were conducting "snap, cordon and search" raids from house to house.

"They just happened to get lucky," a coalition defence source in Iraq said last night. Australian commanders, who had no advance knowledge of the operation, were caught by surprise.

UPDATE II: KrilliX adds, "Con un’operazione militare. Senza pagare riscatti e finanziare i terroristi. Evidentemente si può fare anche così." Indeed.

Related posts from The Jawa Report:
Family of Australian Hostage Starts a Blog
Time Running Out for Duglas Wood
Terrorists Issue 72 Hour Ultimatum to Aussies
The Life of a Hostage in Iraq
Australian Douglas Wood in Hostage Video, Appeals to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bush, Howard

Resources:
The Wood family blog--blog started by Douglas Wood's family in an effort to convince the terrorists to let him go.

Others: John Little at Blogs of War, Tim Blair blogging from Australia, Captain Ed, Red at Scared Monkeys, see fatwas issued below for others....

Posted by: Rusty at 08:43 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 512 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Yee-haw! Hope they shot the freedom fighters responsible for this. Too many prisoners already.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 15, 2005 08:56 AM (x+5JB)

2 "...was conducted by Iraqi forces." Not bad, Iraqis. Not bad.

Posted by: Editor at June 15, 2005 09:57 AM (adpJH)

3 Awesome..

Posted by: Howie at June 15, 2005 09:58 AM (D3+20)

4 Huzzah boys!

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 15, 2005 10:48 AM (0yYS2)

5 Yay. And the terrorists involved were "detained". People are getting tired of the crap there. Information on terrorist's operations, locations of weapons and all sorts of information is coming forth now.

Posted by: Oyster at June 15, 2005 11:34 AM (fl6E1)

6 Very nice.

Posted by: Defense Guy at June 15, 2005 02:04 PM (jPCiN)

7 I hope the people who gave the tip got a nice reward ($$$), and that this will inspire more cooperation between the Iraqis and their government.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 15, 2005 02:08 PM (x+5JB)

8 Glad you agree!

Posted by: KrilliX at June 15, 2005 07:25 PM (/7AIJ)

9 UPDATE II: KrilliX adds, "Con un’operazione militare. Senza pagare riscatti e finanziare i terroristi. Evidentemente si può fare anche così." Indeed. I think I can translate, even with my limited Italian. KrilllX says, 'With a military operation. Without paying a ransom and financing the terrorists. Evidently, it can be done this way as well." KrilllX, Hope I didn't put words in your mouth. I'm trying to bone up on my crappy Italian. In 2 weeks I'll be traveling there.

Posted by: greg at June 16, 2005 04:01 PM (/+dAV)

10 greg! it was simply perfect! mail me if you'r coming back to rome in italy

Posted by: KrilliX at June 16, 2005 07:18 PM (/7AIJ)

11 Now now, Gregg. Must I be forced to chaperone this rendezvous?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 17, 2005 08:13 AM (x+5JB)

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