December 06, 2005

(UPDATE 3: Images/Video) American Hostage RONALD SCHULZ Threatened on Video by Islamic Army in Iraq

Ronald_Schulz_hostage_video_id3.jpgUPDATE: 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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(UPDATED: Images/Video) American Hostage RONALD SCHULZ Threatened on Video by Islamic Army in Iraq

Ronald_Schulz_hostage_video_id3.jpgUPDATE: 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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December 05, 2005

Bernard Planche of FRANCE Taken HOSTAGE in Iraq

Bernard_Planche_hostage_id.jpgA 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.

That makes 6 Westerners taken hostage in the last week. All of them either in Iraq as anti-war activists or from countries that were against the Iraq invasion.

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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Hostage Video: "We are being treated well"

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.

The peace activists seem much more reluctant than Giuliana Sgrena to pour out their emotions.

We will be following this hostage crisis carefully.

Developing.......

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December 02, 2005

New Video: Peace Activists Threatened With Death

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.

Yes, very much like the Sgrena video indeed.

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.

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Army of Ansar al-Sunna Murders Iraqi on Video

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.”

Images from the video may be found at SITE. and at ITB.

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December 01, 2005

Peace Activists Kidnapped in Same Mosque as Giuliana Sgrena

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.

Of course, the major hitch in this theory is that I first found the hostage video after a friend of mine pointed out that it was posted on a terrorist website.

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Blogger Held Hostage in Iraq

The American hostage in Iraq, Thomas Fox, who's name was first revealed on The Jawa Report on Nov. 29th, is also a blogger. more...

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Blogger Held Hostage in Iraq

The American hostage in Iraq, Thomas Fox, who's name was first revealed on The Jawa Report on Nov. 29th, is also a blogger.

His blog, Waiting in the Light, was last updated on November 9th. In his last entry, Tom Fox, now held by Sunni insurgents with links to those who fought the U.S. in Fallujah, decries the U.S. led assault on that city. Despite the fact that Fallujah was run by a form of strict Islamic law before the U.S. liberated that city--in which civilians were murdered for appearing too 'Western'-- Fox's entry decries the U.S. occupation with no words of criticism of the 'resistance' that fought his fellow countrymen.

Further, Fox seems to believe a Muslim cleric's version of the Fallujah narrative over those of the Marines and soldiers that liberated that city. Perhaps Fox was unaware that the cleric was possibly a member of the Shura council which ran Fallujah and which meted out death sentences to prostitutes, collaborated and gave refuge to al Qaeda linked terrorists (possibly some of the same terrorists holding Fox hostage now), and which saw even the possession of Western media a sign of apostasy?

It is tragic irony that those now holding Fox hostage are those that he found difficult to criticize, and that the U.S. Marines and soldiers which he found so easy to fault are his best bet on surviving his ordeal alive.

His entries are a mix of personal reflection and first-hand reporting from Iraq. His blog also reveals that Fox was a truly committed pacifist, willing to die rather than do violence to others. There is much to be admired in a man willing to die for his beliefs.

However, it remains unclear why it is that Western pacifists seem so eager to take on the U.S. and Israel and so willing to overlook the violence and aggression of Jihadis and Palestinians? If all violence is equally bad, then why the focus on Western violence and not on those who are the enemy of the West?

Unless of course the pacifist really doesn't believe his tactics would work in totalitarian states or among violent religious fanatics? Which, I think, is quite revealing.

Regardless of his naivite and poor judgement, we pray for his and the other hostages release and that those responsible will meet a swift and deadly justice. Fox is an innocent and a victim, and those who are holding him captive are guilty and aggressors. At The Jawa Report, we will not equivocate between the two and hold that the value of the life of an innocent is greater than the value of the life of those guilty of hostage taking.

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November 30, 2005

The Lesson Of Susan Hallums: Or, Why I Refuse To Condemn These Hostages

Susan Hallums, ex-wife of former hostage in Iraq Roy Hallums, left this comment on my post here:

I was deeply saddened to hear that more hostages were taken. These men were good Christian men trying to help promote peace in Iraq. I will pray for their safe release and for their families. There is such devastation to the families , I know this horror... I pray for them , I wish I could help in some way.

I replied to Ms. Hallums via email, here is what I wrote:

Please do not take any criticism I have for the CPT organization as a whole to mean that I have no empathy for the plight of these people.

I do not believe for one minute, no matter what brought them to Iraq, that anyone should be subjected to what Mr. Hallums went through.

I've watched what happened to Nick Berg and the others, I know full well what these people are capable of, and I wish that on no human being.

I still pray for Mr. Hallums', and your, good health, although I know you may never fully recover from his ordeal.

Ms. Hallums was kind enough to reply, however, since I don't have permission, and it's irrelevant to this post anyway, I won't publish it.

Look, kids, I spent a healthy chunk of my dwindling free time yesterday perusing the CPT website, and I wholeheartedly disagreed with just about, well, no, absolutely everything they do. From the Adopt a Detainee campaign to opposing any kind of enforcement of our national sovereignty on the border.

But I still won't wash my hands of these hostages. Here's another nugget I found this evening:

The organization is supported by several Protestant denominations, including the Mennonite Church, that believe Christianity forbids all war-making and violence. It has sent activists into war zones, including Bosnia and Haiti, since the late 1980s. It has about 160 members around the world and about a dozen in Iraq.

Folks, based upon their website, I was under the impression that this group was far larger than it really is. Had I known this, I wouldn't have spent so much time on that website. The influence they wield is precisely nil. Jane Novak, one woman with a blog, has had more global impact in a year than these people have in 20.

So what is the lesson here? First off, as Rusty said in his reply to Ms. Hallums' comment, and I paraphrase, "I believe they're misguided, but they're victims nonetheless." Second, I draw from my own experience. I've written posts about local stories on my home blog about murdered children, and twice the mothers of those children, like Susan Hallums, commented on my post. And like Susan Hallums, I've had a nice exchange of email.

These hostages, whose politics and ideology I may wholeheartedly disagree with, are still human beings. They have, from what I know right now, committed no evil acts that have placed them in the situation they're in. Granted, running around in Iraq as a member of the Christian Peacemakers may not be the smartest thing to do in this day and age, but it's surely not evil.

There's that, and there's what I've been alluding to this whole time. These people have families and friends. They more than likely have family and friends who, like me, totally disagree with the mission they undertook, or the views they hold. But, be that as it may, the loved ones of these people probably don't care one whit about those political views right now. They surely don't believe that these people deserve to be in the place they are.

And neither do I. Granted, this all may turn out to be one big stunt, but at this point, I could care less. If it is, all I'm out is the fact that maybe I cared a little too much. I can live with that.

What I couldn't live with is if I were making statements like the ones I've read, on this blog and others. Glib, making flip comments, only to see these people get the Nick Berg treatment. If it were my brother (quite a moonbat in his own right, I must say) over there, and I stumbled upon some of what I've read both here and elsewhere, I would be disgusted.

If you still can't find empathy for these four based on their ideology, that's fine, I can't control what you think or feel. But at least pause for a moment and consider their families.

F.E.T.E

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New Chancellor: Germany Will Not Negotiate with Terrorists

The first female Chancellor in German history has come out shooting. In a 180 degree turnaround from her predecessor, the first words out of Angela Merkel's mouth to the newly constituted parliament:

"This government, this parliament will not let itself be blackmailed," Merkel said. "It (terrorism) is directed at everything that is important to us, at the core of our civilization. It is directed against our entire value system."
Merkel's statement was directed toward terrorists who have threatened to murder German archaeologist Susanne Osthoff. The terrorists have threatened to murder Osthoff if Germany does not stop cooperating with the U.N. sanctioned Iraqi governemnt.

Can some one please tell me how any one in the MSM--in even the most conservative of publications--can call a group or an individual threatenting to murder a hostage a 'militant'?

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Islamic Site: Pentagon Behind Western Kidnappings

The 'news' site uruknet blames the CIA:

One look at the CPT (Christian Peacemaker Teams) in Iraq website and it becomes obvious who abducted Kember and his associates and why....No doubt all of this Christian activity sincerely upsets the Pentagon and the Bushcons.
Uruknet conveniently leaves out the fact that the video WAS NOT first released on al Jazeera as has been reported in the MSM. Rather, the video was released on a well known terrorist website linked to the Islamic Army in Iraq.

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November 29, 2005

The Plot Sickens Even More

Now this is fascinating. From the CPT History/Mission page:

Iraq – a Baghdad-based presence since October 2002. Team members accompanied the Iraqi people through the U.S.-led 2003 war and continue during the post-war occupation to expose abusive acts by U.S. Armed Forces and support Iraqis committed to nonviolent resistance.

This organization went into Iraq while Saddam Hussein was still in power.

Yet, I still hope for the hostages safe release.

UPDATE: Geez, 18 comments on this post and no one noticed that I spelled "history" as "hisory." With friends like you, who needs enemas?

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'Peace' Group Blames U.S. for Terrorist Kidnappings

The 'Christian Peacemaker Teams' organization has confirmed the identities of four Westerners kidnapped in Iraq after The Jawa Report first revealed their names earlier today. In addition, the group blamed the U.S. and U.K. governments for the terrorist abductions of their team members. Like many Left wing 'peace' activists, the group decided to condemn the unintended consequences of the U.S. invasion while overlooking the very intentional acts of violence against civilians by terrorists.

Sources tell The Jawa Report that the "The Swords of Righteousness Brigade" may be an offshoot of The Islamic Army in Iraq. The announcement and video were posted on that group's website earlier today. The Islamic Army in Iraq has murdered foreign hostages in the past, including Italian Red Cross worker Enzo Baldoni, and has worked with Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq in the past. The group routinely murders those suspected of being 'collaborators', 'apostates', and 'spies'.

This is bad news for the hostages if confirmed. If the mesage from the Christian Peacemaker Teams is meant to garner sympathy from the Salafist terror organization, then they are barking up the wrong tree. The only hope for the four Westerners is if the U.S., British, or Iraqi armies find them and liberate them--as they did former hostage Roy Hallums. Ironic, since these are the very people who are risking their lives yet who are blamed by the pacifist organization for the plight of their representatives.

Despite the misguided efforts of the pacifist organization, these four activists are victims of Islamist aggression. We condemn the hostage takers and pray for the immediate release. And, unlike the 'Christian Peacemaker Teams', we hope that the terrorists die at the hands of an angry Marine.

Their press release is below: more...

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The Plot Sickens

The Christian Peacemaker Teams organization to which the 4 hostages belong just recently suspended their Adopt-a-Detainee program.

You read that right. Adopt-a-Detainee:

After a year and a half of coordinated advocacy for Iraqis detained by U.S. and other occupying forces, Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is ending its Adopt-a-Detainee Letter-Writing Campaign. CPT's Iraq project will, however, continue to monitor the situation of Iraqis captured by the Multinational Force in Iraq (MNF) and by the new Iraqi Forces.


The Adopt-a-Detainee Letter-Writing Campaign, beginning in March 2004, matched individual detainees with congregations, mosques, synagogues, and peace groups in North America and around the world. These groups wrote letters to U.S., Iraqi and other relevant officials on the detainees' behalf. The campaign grew out of CPT's investigation of and reporting on abuses within the U.S.-run detention system in Iraq during the fall of 2003. The Adopt-a-Detainee Letter-Writing Campaign included a total of twenty-seven detainees, nine of whom U.S. officials released during the campaign, ten of whom were still detained at last word, and seven of whom U.S. officials never confirmed as detained (i.e., the "disappeared.")

They're still running the Campaign For Secure Dwellings though:

Since 1995 the Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron has provided a violence-reduction presence with street patrols, responding when we hear word of trouble, and staying with people in tense times and places. The team also supports Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers in their work. It is clear to us that there can be no security for Israelis or Palestinians as long as the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip continues.

Hm, guess no one bothered to tell them about the Gaza withdrawal earlier this year.

I still hope the hostages are released unharmed.

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(Updated) Hostage Video Released, Hostages Identified (Images/Video)


**Jawa Report Exclusive**

***The Jawa Report releases names of four Western hostages.***

A hostage video has been released of the four Western peace activists taken hostage in Iraq. The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video. Images from the video and links to video posted below. The video shows American Thomas Fox of Clear Brook Virginia, Canadian Harmeet Singh Sooden, who resides in Auckland, New Zealand, British citizen Norman Kember, and some one who appears to identify himself as James Loney(spelling confirmed) of Canada.

Previously only Norman Kember had been identified. The Christian Peacemaker Teams organization has confirmed to The Jawa Report in an e-mail that the four hostages were working for that group.

The copy of the video I have makes no ransom demands, although a voice can be heard directing the hostages in the background. UPDATE: Ian at the Political Teen is hosting a segment of the video here.

Here is a transcript of the video:

My name is Norman Kember. I am 74. I am a member of the Christian Peacemaking team in Iraq.

My name is Harmeet Sooden. I am 32 and I am working..I'm a volunteer for the CPT in Iraq.

My name is James Loney. I am 41 years old. I am from Canada and I am part of the Christian Peacemaker team in Iraq.

My name is Tom Fox and I am 54 years old. I am from the United States and I am a member of the Christian Peacmakers team in Iraq.

Hat tip: Doubletap who e-mailed me the video.

Here is a rough translation of the statement accompanying the video--again, thanks to Doubletap:

foreign arrest of four spy

Praise be to God god of the scientists and the prayer and the faithful peace on the prophet, and on his family and accompanied him ['ajme'yn]

As for after. Losing managed your brothers in secrecy of swords the truth from arrest of four spy is foreign forces of the occupation under cover do for what Christian team the peace rises in, [wllh] the praising god of the scientists.

Secrecy swords of the truth

Swords of Righteousness Brigade is how some MSM outlets are translating the announcement. The group accused the four peace activists of "masqerading" as peace activists and of really being spies. Update: My sources indicate that "The Swords of Righteousness Brigade" may be an offshoot of The Islamic Army in Iraq. The announcement and video were posted on that group's website earlier today. The Islamic Army in Iraq has murdered foreign hostages in the past, including Italian Red Cross worker Enzo Baldoni, and has worked with Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq in the past. This is bad news for the hostages if confirmed.

The original announcement in Arabic can be downloaded here if some one would like to offer a better translation.

UPDATE: Flip from Suitably Flip has a different machine translation here which is a little clearer.

UPDATE II: Shawn of Bareknucklepolitics points us to these dispatches from Iraq written by hostage Thomas Fox who wonders if Americans are inheritly racists and have colonialist attitudes. We pity people like Tom who have such low regard for the men who will now risk their lives to save his.

UPDATE: Jawa Report revelations force CPT to confirm identities of hostages.

We can confirm the identities of those who are being held as follows:

Tom Fox, age 54, is from Clearbrook, Virginia and is a dedicated father of two children. For the past two years, Mr. Fox has worked with CPT in partnership with Iraqi human rights organizations to promote peace. Mr. Fox has been faithful in the observance of Quaker practice for 22 years. While in Iraq, he sought a more complete understanding of Islamic cultural richness. He is committed to telling the truth to U.S. citizens about the horrors of war and its effects on ordinary Iraqi civilians and families as a result of U.S. policies and practices.

Mr. Fox is an accomplished musician. He plays the bass clarinet and the recorder and he loves to cook. He has also worked as a professional grocer. Mr. Fox devotes much of his time to working with children. He has served as an adult leader of youth programs and worked at a Quaker camp for youth. He has facilitated young people's participation in opposing war and violence. Mr. Fox is a quiet and peaceful man, respectful of everyone, who believes that "there is that of God in every person" which is why work for peace is so important to him.


Norman Kember, age 74, is from London, England.He and his wife of 45 years have two married daughters and a 3-year old grandson. He has been a pacifist all his life beginning with his work in a hospital instead of National Service at age 18. Before his retirement he was a professor teaching medical students at St Bartholemew's Hospital in London. He is well-known as a peace activist, and has been involved in several peace groups. For the past 10 years he has volunteered with a local program providing free food to the homeless. He likes walking, birdwatching, and writing humorous songs and sketches. In his younger days he enjoyed mountaineering.


James Loney, 41, is a community worker from Toronto, Canada. He has been a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams since August 2000, and is currently the Program Coordinator for CPT Canada. On previous visits to Iraq, his work focused on taking testimonies from families of detainees for CPT's report on detainee abuse, and making recommendations for securing basic legal rights. James was leading the November 2005 delegation in Iraq when he went missing.

James is a peace activist, writer, trained mediator, and works actively with two Toronto community conflict resolution services. He has spent many years working to provide housing and support for homeless people.

In a personal statement from James to CPT, he writes: "I believe that our actions as a people of peace must be an expression of hope for everyone. My hope in practising non-violence is that I can be a conduit for the transformative power of God's love acting upon me as much as I hope it will act upon others around me."


Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 is a Canadian electrical engineer. He is studying for a masters degree in English literature in Auckland University in New Zealand to prepare for a teaching career. He enjoys art, is active in squash and worked part time as a local squash coach. His family describes him as peaceful and fun-loving and he is known to be passionate about the plight of the underprivileged around the globe. He works tirelessly in his spare time to educate and help others.

Update: Ex-wife of former hostage Roy Hallums chimes in:
I was deeply saddened to hear that more hostages were taken. These men were good Christian men trying to help promote peace in Iraq. I will pray for their safe release and for their families. There is such devastation to the families , I know this horror... I pray for them , I wish I could help in some way.

-Susan Hallums

Developing.....

Images below. more...

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German Archaeologist Susanne Osthoff Taken Hostage in Iraq

Susanne_Osthoff_hostage_iraq_small.jpgThe Jawa Report has learned that the name of the German woman shown in a hostage video is Susanne Osthoff. Osthoff is an archaeologist working in Iraq and was abducted with her driver last Friday. Osthoff was presumably working on a dig at the ruins of Isin when she was abducted.

UPDATE: Chad at In the Bullpen e-mails me about a NY Times report that Osthoff had been targetted by Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq over the summer. If she has been abducted by al Qaeda then her only hope lies in a quick rescue and your prayers.

After news of Ms. Osthoff's kidnapping became known here, a German newspaper, the Neue Osnabrücker Zeiting, reported that Ms. Osthoff had been targeted by extremist groups close to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi during the summer, when she was living in Mosul in northern Iraq. At the time, the newspaper said, Ms. Osthoff was escorted by American soldiers to Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Since then, Ms. Osthoff has been negotiating both with the German Embassy in Baghdad and the local Kurdish-dominated government in the northern town of Arbil to build a German cultural center there, the newspaper said.
Osthoff was active in documenting archealogical sites looted in Iraq after the U.S. led invasion and was widely quoted in the media at the time.

More information about Susan Osthoff below and in the Susan Osthoff archives. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 09:51 AM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
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German Woman Taken Hostage in Iraq

UPDATE: The Jawa Report has learned that the name of the woman is Susanne Osthoff. More on Osthoff here.

A German woman has been taken hostage in Iraq. The image right shows the woman and her driver as they appeared in a hostage video. The woman's name has not been released. We will publish her name and the name of her driver as soon as they are known.

According to ADNKI the woman was an archeologist and was abducted with her driver near Ninevah.

Further:

The kidnappers sent a video to the broadcaster's offices in Baghdad in which they showed the hostages and threatened to kill the woman if the German government does not suspend every form of cooperation with the Iraqi government.

The video shows a woman and a man blindfolded and on their knees. Nearby are three armed men with their faces covered. The woman has a chain around her neck, with her passport attached to it.

The German Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the archaeologist and her driver have been missing since Friday. "We are doing everything possible to guarantee the safety of the woman," a spokesman said. "We are in contact with all the offices of the government of Iraq to confirm what has happened."

So, archeology is considered "collaboration" by the salaafist jihadis these days?

Hat tip to Dread Pundit Bluto who has more.

Developing........

Posted by: Rusty at 08:47 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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November 28, 2005

The Fruits of Anti-American Peace Activism: Kidnapping and Hostage Taking

norman_kember.jpgBackground on the hostage taking here.

What do Giuliana Sgrena and abducted 'humanitarian' worker Norman Kember (pictured right at a Hiroshima memorial) have in common?

Both went to Iraq to promote "peace".

Both decided to work for "peace" by documenting allegations of prisoner abuse and mass-murder by American forces in Fallujah.

Both thought it would be a good idea to meet with 'victims' of America and that their sympathies with the 'resistance' would make them immune.

Both ended up being taken hostage by the 'resistance'.

Our deepest sympathies are with Norman Kember and the American and two Canadians taken hostage with him. But, wasn't it a little foolish to believe your own rhetoric? The U.S. military is in Iraq to help the Iraqis. If civilians are killed or innocents detained by the U.S., these are regretful mistakes. Errors made in the fog of war.

But when the so-called insurgents kill civilians and take hostages--only to murder them later by proclaiming them guilty of violating Islamic law--they do this on purpose.

It is the policy of the United States of America and Great Britain to avoid civilian casualties when possible. It is the policy of al Qaeda and other mujahidin forces in Iraq to kill civilians, on purpose, when such civilians are deemed too eager to help rebuild that country.

For the peace activists of the Left, there is no distinction between an American soldier and an al Qaeda in Iraq suicide-bomber.

That distinction should be clear now to Norman Kember and the other victims of jihadi fanaticism in Iraq.

We pray for their safe return.

Norman Kember archives here.

Posted by: Rusty at 06:36 PM | Comments (16) | Add Comment
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Deep Thoughts By Jack Straw

Interesting quote of British Foreign Minister Jack Straw:

“We are working on the basis that it is indeed a kidnapping. But we have no further confirmation,” he said.

I never have, and never will be a conspiracy theorist, but this is interesting as well:

Pat Kember said that her husband was representing a number of different organisations when he was taken. Yesterday she was seen leaving the family home in North London escorted by police.

I figure there's a 99.9% chance that this is SOP.

But after reading Rusty and Bluto, I have to admit that something smells Vichy around here.

Posted by: Vinnie at 06:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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