American Roy Hallums was abducted from his temporary Baghdad home on November 1st, 2004. He was in Iraq as a civilian contractor working on rebuilding efforts. His mission had everything to do with helping the Iraqi people rebuild their country after decades of war, mismanagement, and terror under the Saddam Hussein regime.

I had the opportunity to have several e-mail conversations with both Susan Hallums and Carrie Hallums Cooper recently. They have graciously agreed to letting us interview them. What follows is part 4 in a series of interviews with the family of Roy Hallums. In part 1 and part 2 we interviewd Susan Hallums, Roy Hallums' ex-wife.

In part 3 we interview Roy's daughter, Carrie Hallums Cooper, asking her the same questions we asked her mother. This segment continues that conversation.

Carrrie runs the website Free Roy. Carrie is 29 and makes her home in California where she also works. Carrie has an MFT (Masters of Family Therapy) and is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology. Carrie also is engaged in fundraising to help defray costs associated with freeing her father.

You can donate to the Free Roy Foundation by clicking on the Pay Pal button below.

Or you can send a check or money order to

Free Roy Foundation
c/o Carrie Cooper
PO Box 947
Westminster, Ca. 92684

More information is on the Free Roy website. Roy and other heroes will be celebrated at the Inland Empire Memorial Day Heroes Festival in Riverside, CA on May 14th.

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[You can read part 1 of this interview here]

Rusty Shackleford: Roberto Tarongoy was taken hostage on the same day as Roy, and the Filipino government as recently as two weeks ago claimed that they knew Tarongoy was alive. However, the Philipines has a policy of negotiating with hostage-takers and even paying ransom for hostages release. What are your thoughts on that policy?

Carrie Hallums Cooper: First IÂ’d like to say that I have a great respect for Ivy (RobertÂ’s wife) and the Tarongoy family. If I were in IvyÂ’s shoes I would do whatever I could to free my husband. Cognitively though, I understand that if we (the U.S.) pay ransom for hostages this will only increase more hostage-taking, which is why the United States adheres to this policy. So, from that frame of mind, the Philippines policy of negotiating with hostage-takers may be encouraging more kidnappings, which for the Philippines as a whole is not beneficial.

However, unless you have been a family member of a hostage, you will never understand the lengths that you would go to in order to free your loved one. If I had to choose between policy and my fatherÂ’s life, I would not hesitate to choose my father, and therefore pay a ransom (if I had the money). So, I do not fault the Philippines for listening to their hearts in hostage situations, even though it may encourage more hostage-taking.

I believe that the policy of not negotiating with terrorists was created for the majority (those familyÂ’s whose loved ones are not hostages), and most of the time it works out fine (as long as you stay in the majority). Right now IÂ’m in the minority (a family member of a hostage), so I donÂ’t feel like the policy works for me. I donÂ’t want to put other people in danger by endorsing paying terrorists, which I do think is what happens when you pay ransoms (because it encourages more hostage taking); but at the same time, there has got to be a better policy than to just not deal with the terrorists.

To be honest with you IÂ’m kind of torn about this issue right now. IÂ’m not a policy maker, but I feel like someone could come up with a better solution than what we have in place right now (though I donÂ’t know what it is), so that itÂ’s a win-win situation for everyone. IÂ’m sure the govt. would say that it is win-win now, but I donÂ’t feel like sitting back and letting my Dad rot over in Iraq is win-win for either me or my Dad. more...

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UPDATE 9/07: ROY HALLUMS RESCUED IN IRAQ!!!! Details here. Or try the Main Page.
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American Roy Hallums was abducted from his temporary Baghdad home on November 1st, 2004. He was in Iraq as a civilian contractor working on rebuilding efforts. His mission had everything to do with helping the Iraqi people rebuild their country after decades of war, mismanagement, and terror under the Saddam Hussein regime.

I had the opportunity to have several e-mail conversations with both Susan Hallums and Carrie Hallums Cooper recently. They have graciously agreed to letting us interview them. What follows is part 3 in a series of interviews with the family of Roy Hallums. In part 1 and part 2 we interviewd Susan Hallums, Roy Hallums' ex-wife.

In this segment we interview Roy's daugther, Carrie Hallums Cooper, asking her the same questions we asked her mother. Carrie runs the website Free Roy. Carrie is 29 and makes her home in California where she also works. Carrie has an MFT (Masters of Family Therapy) and is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology. Carrie also is engaged in fundraising to help defray costs associated with freeing her father.

You can donate to the Free Roy Foundation by clicking on the Pay Pal button below.

Or you can send a check or money order to

Free Roy Foundation
c/o Carrie Cooper
PO Box 947
Westminster, Ca. 92684

More information is on the Free Roy website. Roy and other heroes will be celebrated at the Inland Empire Memorial Day Heroes Festival in Riverside, CA on May 14th.

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Rusty Shackleford: Can you tell our readers a little something about the kind of man Roy is?

Carrie Hallums Cooper: My Dad is the most giving person I have ever met. He did whatever he could to help his family and friends. Some other words that describe him are: thoughtful, kind, intelligent, quiet, athletic, funny, and fun. No one, besides my Mom, has ever treated me as well as my Dad has. My Dad, though far away, was always there for me. He called me all the time and sent me e-mails every day or so.

My Dad has many interests, both socially and intellectually. My Dad likes playing chess with me, going to art museums, walking on the beach or just being in nature (he likes being outdoors), riding his bike, going out to eat, reading, and he likes to listen to classic rock music (which my Mom always hated). He kept up to date on what was cool and hip, at least as much as he could being overseas.

My DadÂ’s dream for when he returned home from the middle east was to have a house by a lake, to own a boat, and to go fishing on the lake. He had recently purchased a home in Memphis near a lake and was excited to buy a small boat so that he could go fishing. I hope that he gets to do that some day.

My Dad was very wise and he always gave me good advice. He encouraged me to continue to do well in school, and for that matter he supported and encouraged me in everything I did. I carry every piece of advice, and all of his love and support, as well as, every memory that we made with me everywhere I go. I treasure it because it may be all that I have left of my father. more...

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UPDATE 9/07: ROY HALLUMS RESCUED IN IRAQ!!!! Details here. Or try the Main Page.
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UPDATE: Part 1 of this interview is here.
In part 3, we interview Roy's daughter Carrie here.

American Roy Hallums was abducted from his temporary Baghdad home on November 1st, 2004. He was in Iraq as a civilian contractor working on rebuilding efforts. His mission had everything to do with helping the Iraqi people rebuild their country after decades of war, mismanagement, and terror under the Saddam Hussein regime.

I had the opportunity to have several e-mail conversations with both Susan Hallums and Carrie Hallums Cooper recently. They have graciously agreed to letting us interview them. What follows is part 2 in a series of interviews with the family of Roy Hallums. Part 1 of that interview can be found here. This segment continues the interview with Susan Hallums.

Susan is Roy Hallums ex-wife and the mother of Roy's two daughters, Amanda and Carrie. Susan is in the process of selling the small house she inherited from her mother. The proceeds from the sale will go for a reward offer for information on Roy's wherabouts in Iraq. You can support Roy Hallums family by sending donations to:

Free Roy Foundation
c/o Carrie Cooper
PO Box 947
Westminster, Ca. 92684

More information is on the Free Roy website.

Rust Shackleford: Ever since we crossed paths I've been following your story and have read that you are in constant contact with the wife of Roberto Tarongoy [a Filipino who was taken hostage with Roy]. Would you like to tell us anything about that relationship? Perhaps there is something you would like to say on behalf of the Tarongoy family?

Susan Hallums: I can't comment on this one Rusty, that is their request.

RS: Have you had any contact with any of the other families of hostages being held in Iraq? Jeffrey Ake, Tim Bell, Bill Bradley, or Dean Sadek, or Mohammed Monaf? If not, is there anything you would like to say to them if you could?

SH: No I havent . I called Jeffrey Ake's company and told them to please call me if they would like to talk to me. That I have been in these terrible shoes for 6 months and if I could help in any way please call me. He has my prayers and hopes that he is released right away. His family also has my prayers and my heart goes out to them. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 05:00 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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UPDATE 9/07: ROY HALLUMS RESCUED IN IRAQ!!!! Details here. Or try the Main Page.
-------------------------------------------
Update: Part 2 of the interview is here.
Part 3 is an interview with Roy Hallums' daughter is here.

American Roy Hallums was abducted from his temporary Baghdad home on November 1st, 2004. He was in Iraq as a civilian contractor working on rebuilding efforts. His mission had everything to do with helping the Iraqi people rebuild their country after decades of war, mismanagement, and terror under the Saddam Hussein regime.

Roy was taken hostage along with six other foreign nationals, including a Fillipino named Robert Tarongoy. The U.S. did not publish the fact that an American citizen had been taken hostage because of a policy of treating civilian abductions as purely private matters. The Jawa Report was the first publication to identify Roy Hallums as the hostage.

Since that time we have been in contact with members of the Hallums family who started leaving comments at our site. Roy's daughter, Carrie Hallums Cooper, and his ex-wife, Susan Hallums, have been leading the charge to keep Roy's plight in the media.

Unfortunately the mainstream media has tended to bury stories of American hostages in the back pages until something dramatic happens, such as the release of a hostage video. The sad fact is that the American hostages in Iraq are forgotten casualties of war. We find this situation unacceptable and pledge to do our part in keeping these victims in the headlines.

I had the opportunity to have several e-mail conversations with both Susan Hallums and Carrie Hallums Cooper recently. They have graciously agreed to letting us interview them. What follows is part 1 in a series of interviews with the family of Roy Hallums. This segment features an interview with Susan Hallums.

Susan is Roy Hallums ex-wife and the mother of Roy's two daughters, Amanda and Carrie. Susan is in the process of selling the small house she inherited from her mother. The proceeds from the sale will go for a reward offer for information on Roy's wherabouts in Iraq. You can support Roy Hallums family by sending donations to:

Free Roy Foundation
c/o Carrie Cooper
PO Box 947
Westminster, Ca. 92684

More information is on the Free Roy website.

Rusty Shackleford: Can you tell our readers a little something about the kind of man Roy is?

Susan Hallums: Roy is the kind of person that is always well liked by most everyone that is fortunate enough to meet him. He is a very kind and caring man. He has always been a great father and grandfather to our daughters and granddaughter. more...

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