Thomas Hamill is held hostage by Iraqi militants. (AP photo)
Posted on 04/11/2004 2:04:21 AM PDT by Destro
Iraqis vow to kill, maim U.S. hostage
By Associated Press
Sunday, April 11, 2004
FALLUJAH, Iraq -Militants yesterday threatened to kill and mutilate an American civilian they captured Friday if U.S. troops don't withdraw from Fallujah.
Thomas Hamill, whose capture during another convoy ambush in the area, was the latest in a series of kidnappings in Iraq.
``Our only demand is to remove the siege from the city of mosques,'' a spokesman said in a videotape given to the al-Jazeera television network that shows footage of Hamill.
``If you don't respond within 12 hours . . . he will be treated worse than those who were killed and burned in Fallujah'' - referring to the Americans whose bodies were mutilated and two of them hanged from a Euphrates River bridge.
On the tape, Hamill gives his name and says he is 43 and from Mississippi. Part of the footage has no audio but shows him standing in front of an Iraqi flag emblazoned with the words ``Allahu Akbar,'' or God is great. A TV announcer quotes him as saying his captors were not mistreating him.
``I am in good shape. I work for a private company that supports the military action,'' (Halliburton) the voice-over says, a likely reference to private U.S. firms that provide security in Iraq.
``I want my family to know that these people are taking care of me, and provide me with food, water and a place to sleep.''
Two U.S. servicemembers and several contract employees were still unaccounted for from attacks on Friday, a Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Commander Dan Hetlage, said yesterday.
There was some confusion of how many hostages were being held and by whom.
The New York Times reported that a tape shown repeatedly on Arab television showed a group of armed and masked insurgents claiming to hold 39 foreigners hostage.
One of the Iraqis says, ``We have Japanese, Bulgarian, Israeli, American, Spanish and Korean hostages. Their numbers are 30.''
He added, ``If America doesn't lift its blockade of Fallujah, their heads will be cut off.''
The tape didn't show any hostages, and it was impossible to confirm that such a group was being held.
Other militants continued to hold hostage two aid workers - a Canadian and an Arab from Jerusalem - but announced they would free three Japanese civilians.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bostonherald.com ...
Thomas Hamill is held hostage by Iraqi militants. (AP photo)
These are not men. They are demons.
Keep the Lord in your heart, Mr. Hamill. God be with you.
The zots at DU are gonna go wild over this!
-ccm
They may not be demons in the strictest sense of the word BUT they appear to worship Satan IMHO. The only "god" who demands human sacrifice and loves to inflict suffering on innocents is the Lord of Darkness.
Amen to that. The shame of the despots of the Middle East is that they have taken their once proud people down into the gutter. They have denied them a real education and civil rights. They have let tribalism flourish in order to protect their own power. Now the religious fanatics are stepping in, claiming to really care about their people, and all the while getting their children prepped for suicide and death. They are truly a fallen people.
Prayers for our soldiers and hostages.
I try to understand how the Fallajah insurgent was brought to this level of action and hatred.
First,knowing that the trypical Middle-Eastern citizen is going to bet on the strong horse, no matter the rider.
They bet with Saddam Hussein and enjoyed the equivilant...if not monetarily, at least in emotional terms, a lifestyle and comfort the upper middle class enjoy here in the USA.
Nobody questions the entire world is better without Saddam Hussein. Nobody that is except the Baathists who dominate Fallajah.
In the worst case scenario what could we come up with to equate their sudden loss of everything they ever held dear?
Liberals and Conservatives in an actual civil war at a time when somebody like Hillary Clinton or John Kerry occupy the White House?
And the Supreme Court "looks" a lot more Liberal Left than those heady days demonstrating at the Supreme Court in the Election of 2000, doesn't it?
They shut down internet-access in the name of National Security. FreeRepulic is flatlined.
Our taxes get more confiscatory...it gets to be dangerous to be a Conservative on the street. Afterall, we're humans.
Some idiot legislature creates a bill that if passed would allow the government to place GPS chips on all citizens they deemed possibly a danger to "national security".
I'd say all Freepers would instantly become Charter Members. And everything we've ever typed will and can be used as "evidence" to support their charge.
Okay, that's enough of a nightmare to understand just what the young men of Fallajah are feeling against the "occupation".
Their custom has religion influence their behavior and their self-inflicted boundaries in everyday life. When you add their ancient, barbaric interpretation of the Koran to the mix, it spells trouble.
Okay, now we can understand the secular reaons they hate us for invading their world. Because they want to kill you however, you have the DUTY...not the right...to kill them first.
The only real option is to give them a reason to pick up arms and then kill them. So far so good.
Because we're at war I don't believe anything will be done to save these hostages. Remember dozens of innocent American citizens were forced to jump to their deaths on 9/11. We couldn't save them either, despite every camera in the civilized world watching in real time.
God Bless President George Bush. God Bless America.
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