Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Nicholas Berg: The Dots Do Not Connect
ChronWatch.com ^ | 5-13-04 | Ira Simmons

Posted on 05/13/2004 8:35:22 PM PDT by SeenTheLight

First off, I'll get the obligatory stuff out of the way: the videotaped beheading of 26-year-old American Nicholas Berg, now believed to have been done by al-Qaida linked terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is truly horrifying and an outrage. It confirms that we must continue to fight the War On Terror using maximum force in any place necessary to ensure that these refugees from the Middle Ages are totally defeated.

Certainly Nicholas Berg is as innocent a victim of extreme Muslim atrocities as the 3,000 Americans killed on September 11, 2001, or the victims from the March 11, 2004, Madrid train bombings. But there are many questions about Berg's fateful visit to Iraq which do not square with information given by his family or the U.S. Coalition story of what exactly happened and why he was detained.

First, what has been given as Berg's college background and how he came to run a one-man communications firm seems a little strange if not outright preposterous. It was reported that Nick Berg attended four different colleges: the last was the University of Oklahoma where it is claimed he learned to install radio towers. But Berg never received a college diploma. Media reports said his one-man company was called Prometheus Methods Tower Service Inc. Reality check: it is virtually impossible to obtain such technical work as installing radio towers without a Professional Engineering license, let alone not having a college degree!

The first reports of his life story said that Berg supported President Bush in the War on Terror and helped install communications equipment at the 2000 Republican convention in Philadelphia. But his father, Michael Berg, is a member of the off-the-charts anti-war group International ANSWER (''Act Now, Stop the War, and End Racism.'') While children occasionally do not share the politics of their parents (I didn't), you have to wonder if telling the media that his kid was a Republican was something of a ruse to direct attention from Michael Berg's (and his son's) true politics.

Then there are the two 2004 trips to Iraq. While most contractors travel directly to Baghdad, Nicholas Berg instead landed in Jordan and found his way by land into Iraq. If indeed Berg was a one-man contractor installing radio towers, it would seem difficult to get any work in Iraq without (a) initially consummating commitments while still in the United States, and (b) having a link to a larger construction company such as Bechtel or (dirty word alert) Halliburton! As yet no radio towers that Nicholas Berg may have built while in Iraq on either trip have been identified.

We know that Nick Berg was bouncing around Iraq until he was detained either by Iraqi police or the U.S. Military in Mosul on March 24. I'll give his dad the benefit of the doubt here: Nicholas was definitely being detained by the coalition for any of the following suspicions:

a) He was loaded with electronics equipment, supposedly for his work on radio communications towers. Possessing sophisticated electronic gear in a war zone without producing any paperwork to prove that he is building radio towers probably set off alarm bells.

b) It was likely that Berg was on an FBI ''watch'' list. FBI agents interviewed Berg a few years ago when they were investigating the September 11 terrorist attacks because, unbeknownst to him, Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker, had used his e-mail account when both were in Oklahoma. On Thursday Fox News reported that the FBI dismissed the link between Berg and Moussaoui as ''coincidental.''

c) Speaking on condition of anonymity in one media report, a U.S. official said Iraqi authorities detained Berg ''for his own protection'' because his behavior in Mosul seemed unusual for a Westerner. Plus Berg, who was Jewish, had in his possession texts that were considered ''anti-Semitic'' in tone. One of his friends has been quoted as saying that the Iraqi police thought Berg was an Israeli spy. To add insult to injury, Berg was also carrying some literature written in Farsi including a book about Iran.

d) On April 10, after he was released, Berg visited an Iraqi man who was once married to his aunt. Question: did his former uncle have political ties that caused any suspicions for the coalition?

e) Because he belongs to a far-left peace group and was known to authorities, Nicholas Berg's father likely raised a red flag and was a possible reason that the FBI visited the family in suburban Philadelphia at least three times during the 13 days that Berg was detained.

On April 5, Michael Berg filed a lawsuit alleging that his son was being held illegally in Iraq. Either Iraqi police or coalition authorities released Nicholas Berg the following day. From both his e-mails and interviews with friends, we know that Berg was moving around Iraq through April 10. It is unclear what happened next. On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Kelly Shannon claimed that the U.S. consular extended an offer to assist Berg to depart Iraq by plane to Jordan. But according to his dad, Berg refused, believing that flying out of Baghdad airport was too dangerous and instead he wanted to try driving to Kuwait. In another published report, a friend said Berg wanted to leave by riding through Jordan. Driving in Jordan or to Kuwait when offered a plane ticket home makes no sense: since the fall of Saddam, Baghdad Airport, heavily guarded by coalition forces, is probably as safe as any place in Iraq.

Between April 10 and May 8, when his decapitated body was found hanging from an overpass in Baghdad, Nicholas Berg's whereabouts are unknown. In the rambling speech seen on the grizzly video just before he was decapitated, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi indicated that he could have traded Berg for hostages being held by the coalition. If true, and believing a terrorist is always a stretch, one question arises among many: why was there no announcement through Al Jazeera, similar to other hostages, that Berg was being held?

To be sure, Nicholas Berg's brutal murder is a great tragedy that has much of the nation and the civilized world outraged. Ironically, Berg's death may do what his old man doesn't want: galvanize American resolve to win the War on Terror! Perhaps amidst the haze of statements from government officials and from a father who may have a hidden political agenda, maybe we can eventually get the real story of the curious life and tragic death of Nicholas Berg.

Ira Simmons

http://www.topthecharts.net/


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; answer; berg; iraq; moussaoui; nickberg; terror
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 401-402 next last
To: P-Marlowe

The computer Nick Berg had with him in Iraq should yield a treasure trove of information.Hopefully we have been able to retreive it.


301 posted on 05/14/2004 9:54:07 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

Comment #302 Removed by Moderator

To: wolf24
I found a picture of Berg at the PAB Engineering conference. It looks like this guy is legitimate. Here he is showing off his BOVL Blocks

Apparently this guy was some kind of engineering genius.

303 posted on 05/14/2004 10:11:52 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (Free the GRPL3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 302 | View Replies]

To: razorback-bert; AmericanMade1776; Heff; P-Marlowe; SeenTheLight; PhiKapMom; Travis McGee

304 posted on 05/14/2004 10:16:09 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (Free the GRPL3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 303 | View Replies]

To: texasflower

There used to be quite a good sized jewish community in Iraq. It started to unravel in the six days war, all Iraqi Jews overseas were drafted, the penalty for refusal was death, many were murdered anyway. We had two brothers at (UK) college who could never go home, I think they went to Canada in the end.


305 posted on 05/14/2004 10:19:35 AM PDT by 1066AD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 214 | View Replies]

Comment #306 Removed by Moderator

To: wolf24
So you think the "Prometheus Radio Project" ---the group that I presume is the lefty-propanda group---and Berg's "Prometheus Methods Tower" business is connected?

No. Not at all.

307 posted on 05/14/2004 10:26:11 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (Free the GRPL3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 306 | View Replies]

To: Southack

How is Uganda a hotbed of al-Qa'ida activity?


308 posted on 05/14/2004 10:45:48 AM PDT by zimdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

Comment #309 Removed by Moderator

To: SeenTheLight
e) Because he belongs to a far-left peace group and was known to authorities, Nicholas Berg's father likely raised a red flag and was a possible reason that the FBI visited the family in suburban Philadelphia at least three times during the 13 days that Berg was detained.

That's the only part I don't accept or agree with. The more likely reason for the FBI visiting his family's home in West Chester is the fact that agents had met with him while he was in Iraqi custody in Mosul three times, and were probably as puzzled as to what he was up to as we are. They were probably asking the father to help fill in the blanks, and probably also just "checking in" with the family since their son was being detained in a war-torn foreign country, although I doubt Michael Berg would give them credit for that level of humanity. His (the father's) membership/support with International ANSWER probably wouldn't be enough on its own to spark a visit.

But, with the new detail coming out about his former uncle who is an Iraqi, and the possiblity that he purchased a computer for Moussaoui, this is getting curiouser and curiouser.

310 posted on 05/14/2004 10:51:48 AM PDT by HenryLeeII ("Democrats are our greatest national security threat, bar none." -Henry Lee II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe; Travis McGee
If our speculations turn out to be untrue you've got yourself a plot for a best selling novel. If our speculations here are true, then your novels are going to have to be moved to the non-fiction department.

These are some screwy times we live in, aren't they?

311 posted on 05/14/2004 10:54:19 AM PDT by HenryLeeII ("Democrats are our greatest national security threat, bar none." -Henry Lee II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: razorback-bert

bookmark


312 posted on 05/14/2004 11:03:25 AM PDT by razorback-bert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 311 | View Replies]

To: wolf24
There was nobody listed at the Prometheus Radio Group by the name of Berg. Prometheus Radio group appears to be a company set up by an old pirate radio fanatic that got shut down by the FCC and formed a group to get low power FM licences into the hands of like minded individuals and groups.

Prometheus Towers appears to be the brainchild of Nick Berg and his father was apparently working for Nick, not the other way around.

I'm beginning to think that if Nick Berg was on anyone's spy list, he was one of ours. But I'm also beginning to conclude that he was legitimately trying to drum up business for himself in Iraq. A lot of Americans made a lot of money doing this work in East Europe after the wall came down. Maybe he thought he could get in on the ground floor in Iraq.

But Nick Berg's link with Moussoui and his Father's link to Commie peacenicks and Al Queida apologists is troubling. But then again my father and I differed dramatically politically when I was Nick's age. Only back then I was the commie and my dad was the conservative.

313 posted on 05/14/2004 11:07:51 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (Free the GRPL3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 309 | View Replies]

To: SoCal Pubbie

No Oswald wasn't--he was ordered to appear that way. He was really close with one of the men who trained the anti-Castro freedom fighters. He thought Kennedy was an appeaser after leaving the cubans in the lurch at the Bay of Pigs--that's why he killed Kennedy!!


314 posted on 05/14/2004 11:29:14 AM PDT by faithincowboys
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 286 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

Nobody is denying Nick was a fearless tower climber. But I think Prometheus is the key.


315 posted on 05/14/2004 1:24:10 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 284 | View Replies]

To: TheLurkerX
This was not a "guillotine chop" with the head suddenly severed, and full blood pressure shooting out of the severed neck.

This was a hack and slice job, with the victim held down on the carpet. You can see the spreading blood lake. The blood is exiting massively while Berg's head is still roughly in place. By the time the head is taken off, he is mostly exsanguinated, and there is no blood pressure left to cause "guillotine" blood spurting.

316 posted on 05/14/2004 1:27:56 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 298 | View Replies]

To: isthisnickcool

See my last about the blood.


317 posted on 05/14/2004 1:28:58 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 299 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

So the two *unrelated* Prometheus groups are just another one of those incredible coincidences which seem to dog Nick "Forrest Gump" Berg?


318 posted on 05/14/2004 1:33:21 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 307 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

To: Travis McGee
I think these are the same guys, but I can't find the Berg's name anywhere, but on the home page, they mention just getting back from Guatemala (wasn't Nick Berg there?) and it is fow low powered FM stations, and they are located in PA.

Here's a start:
http://www.prometheusradio.org/

http://www.prometheusradio.org/faq_fiscal.shtml
Frequently Asked Questions
Prometheus' crackerjack team of technical types shares the most frequently asked questions and provides the answers.
The Question
What is a fiscal sponsor? Do I need one
The Answer
Many small, unincorporated associations have "fiscal sponsors." A fiscal sponsor is a 501c3 organization which receives money, tax exempt, for the smaller organization. The fiscal sponsor generally has a mission which is in harmony with the mission of the smaller group, and it files tax returns and so on behalf of the smaller organization in exchange for a percentage (often 5%) of the money that they receive from grants for the smaller organization. Obviously, you do not need a fiscal sponsor if your organization already has a 501c3. Also, you can't have a fiscal sponsor unless you do have an organization...individuals are not eligible for fiscal sponsorship.
People can make donations to you if you do not have a fiscal sponsor or a 501c3 organization, but their donations are not tax deductible. Most foundations require that you have at least a fiscal sponsor.
Generally speaking, it takes 6 months to a year to get your 501c3 status. A fiscal sponsor can accept money in the meantime.
Most organizations choose to get their own 501c3 when they start bringing in more than about 25 or 30 thousand dollars a year. Beneath that, it is probably worth it to pay the 5% for the fiscal sponsor, because they take care of the dealings with the IRS for you. Audits can be expensive and time consuming, and can add up to more than 5% of your income anyway.
The Question
I need a fiscal sponsor. do you know any good ones
As a matter of fact, we do. New Society Educational Foundation is a group specifically devoted to supporting small progressive organizations through fiscal sponsorship. You might also be eligible for a $500 start up grant to help your station get off the ground.
Prometheus' own Pete Tridish is on the board, please contact him if you are interested. http://www.nonviolence.org/issues/nsef/



143 posted on 05/14/2004 9:47:50 AM PDT by eyespysomething (The Barbarians are at the Gates. Don't give Kerry the key!)


319 posted on 05/14/2004 1:35:28 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 304 | View Replies]

To: wolf24; P-Marlowe; maica
Check the prometheus link to "nonviolence.org" at the bottom of the last post. Sure sounds like another ANSWER front or affiliate organ!!!!!

Damn, those pesky coincidences just keep hammering poor Nick!

320 posted on 05/14/2004 1:39:02 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 319 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 401-402 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson