Parents blame Bush for son's execution

financial times ^ | Published: May 12 2004 5:00 | Joshua Chaffin

[CGASMIA68]

Parents blame Bush for son's execution By Joshua Chaffin in Washington Published: May 12 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: May 12 2004 5:00

Parents of a UScontractor executed by Islamic militants in Iraq are blaming the Bush administration for his death, saying that US authorities had contributed to the tragedy by unlawfully detaining their son for nearly two weeks before his disappearance.

Michael Berg claimed yesterday that his son, Nick, was held by US authorities without access to a telephone or lawyer because of suspicions that he was an insurgent or terrorist. By the time he was finally released in early April, according to Mr Berg, the security situation had so deteriorated that it was difficult for him to make his way home.

"That's really what cost my son his life, the fact that the United States government saw fit to keep him in custody for 13 days without any of his due process or civil rights," Mr Berg said.

Nick Berg, a small business owner from Pennsylvania, went to Iraq in December to help rebuild the country's infrastructure. Instead, he became the latest western contractor to have died a grisly death in that pursuit.

His headless body was found on a roadside by US soldiers yesterday. A video from an al-Qaeda-affiliated website depicted his decapitation by a gang of men who claimed to be taking revenge for the abuses committed by US soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison.

The execution drew outraged comments from US leaders. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said those responsible had "no regard for the lives of innocent men, women and children".

Rick Santorum, a Republican senator from Mr Berg's home state, called it "an outrage to the civilised world", and said: "If anyone wants to know what we're fighting and why we're fighting this war on terrorism, this is a very good example of it."

The family's accusation comes as the Bush administration struggles to fend off allegations that it has denied the civil rights of thousands of mostly Arab detainees it is holding in military prisons around the world on suspicion of terrorism.

Mr Berg was apprehended by Iraqi officials near the northern city of Mosul on March 24, according to his father, who claims that he was then interrogated by FBI agents.

Mr Berg was released on April 6, a day after his parents filed a lawsuit in federal court naming defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a defendant, and claiming that their son was being unlawfully held. They last heard from him on April 9.

The FBI said it was premature to comment on the case. An official familiar with the case acknowledged that FBI agents had interviewed Mr Berg, but said he was in Iraqi - not American - custody. The official was unable to clarify the legal difference between the two, given the US occupation.

But Mr Berg's father disputed this, saying it was "the FBI", when asked in a radio interview who had detained his son.

"We named Rumsfeld as the responsible person, and I still hold him responsible," Mr Berg said. "It's the whole Patriot Act. It's the whole feeling of this country that rights don't matter any more because there are terrorists about," he added. Additional reporting by Edward Alden

[arthurus]

I pray that Mr. Berg will at some point, realize that we are in a life and death conflict against evil men who would gleefully wipe out his whole family, given the chance.

We are in a life or death conflict against enemies with whom ANSWER is an ally.

[Freesofar]

Sounds like he was a turncoat spy armed with a cell phone who outlived his usefulness to the enemy.
Homeless? where did he get food? why was he there? could he have been doing expert cell phone work for the enemy ?

[Freesofar]

A sattellite phone link to Dad who forwards troop movements to Al qaeda ?

[miloklancy]

My wholeheartedly sympathy for the family of Nick Berg. Yet they could not be directing their anger in a more wrong place than at President Bush and his administration. It is a sad day in America when we blame men of integrity who chose to serve and weather some of the worst storms in American history, rather than those who perpetrate crimes against our citizens. With all due respect, Michael Berg is niave to suggest that the Patriot Act and Bush's policy are to blame for his son's death. Even as his son awaits his final resting place, Mr. Berg is living in the Pre-Sept 11th, 2001 World. Too many have forgotten about the lesson of Sept 11th, 2001 and many also never and will never learn. The execution of Nick Berg should remind us all of the enemy that we face. And irregardless of prison scandals and military occupation in Iraq, these terrorists would have executed Nick Berg anyway. Daniel Pearl's death wasn't justified, now was it.

[GrandMoM]

....the first article I read which was posted on AOL, called the son a war protestor.

[JamesA]

Terribly sorry they lost a son but had the ever thought it was the terrorist with the knife.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Muslims in America today are safer than a baby in it's mother's womb.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

The parents may have just "announced" his death to coincide with the pictures released in an effort to oust Donald Rumsfeld or at the very least to hurt the war effort. Like you said "a set up" a la Hillary.

Who knows, Nick may not even be dead.

ROTFLMAO! You can't be series. I'd better make tinfoil hat triple ply.

[OESY]

After the father's moment of anguish, the US Government should sue Michael Berg for contributing to the death of his son -- for allowing Nick to go unprotected into a war zone twice, for not demanding he return immediately instead of searching for business prospects (for his father's communications company?), and for getting him sprung from detention.

Nick would be alive today if he was still in the custody of the Iraqi Police. As a coup de grace, we should charge him for the costs of the three FBI interviews when the FBI had more productive things to do.

[madison10]

Bowing. Thank you. Tin-foil is my color. ;)

[Paul Atreides]

Rachel Corrie's parents took part in a protest against the manufacturer of the bulldozer, Caterpillar, I believe, that she jumped in front of, in her effort to protect murdering terrorists. What a shame the entire family wasn't with her, at the time.

[Freesofar]

Is no one entertaining the notion that Berg may have been using a satellite cell phone to help the enemy get a fix on coalition troop positions ?
Once his phone connection was lost he may have outlived his usefulness.

[Freesofar]

Is no one entertaining the notion that Berg may have been using a satellite cell phone to help the enemy get a fix on coalition troop positions ?
Once his phone connection was lost he may have outlived his usefulness.

[Freesofar]

Is no one entertaining the notion that Berg may have been using a satellite cell phone to help the enemy get a fix on coalition troop positions ?
Once his phone connection was lost he may have outlived his usefulness.