Posted on 02/01/2005 11:22:09 AM PST by Peach
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi militants claimed in a Web statement Tuesday to have taken an American soldier hostage and threatened to behead him in 72 hours unless the Americans release Iraqi prisoners.
The posting, on a Web site that frequently carried militants' statements, included a photo of what appeared to be an American soldier in desert fatigues seated with his hands tied behind his back.
A gun barrel was pointed at his head, and he is seated in front of a black banner emblazoned with the Islamic profession of faith, "There is no god but God and Muhammad is His prophet."
A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, Marine Sgt. Salju K. Thomas, said he had no information on the claim but "we are currently looking into it."
A statement posted with the picture suggested the group was holding other soldiers.
"Our mujahadeen heroes of Iraq's Jihadi Battalion were able to capture American military man John Adam after killing a number of his comrades and capturing the rest," said the statement, signed by the "Mujahedeen Brigades."
"God willing, we will behead him if our female and male prisoners are not released from U.S. prisons within the maximum period of 72 hours from the time this statement has been released," the statement said.
The claim, carried on the Web site ansarnet.ws, could not be verified.
More than 180 foreigners have been kidnapped in the past year. At least 10 of them, including three American civilians, remain in the hands of their kidnappers.
The only American soldier known to have been taken hostage is Pfc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, who was shown in a video in April being held by militants. Another video aired in June showed what purported to be Maupin's slaying, but the picture was too unclear to confirm it was him and the military still lists him as missing.
Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun went missing in Iraq in June and later photos surfaced on Arab television showing him blindfolded with a sword to his head. In July he made his way to the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Back in the United States, he said he had been captured, but in December he was charged with desertion for the incident.
I just called WBEN if Buffalo and asked them to check out FR....
Oh, so hours later they catch on?
Freepers sitting in their homes figure it out immediately!
The Uallarafarta Brigade?
Here is from MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6894934/
(snip)
The posting, on a Web site that frequently carried militants' statements, included a photo of what that statement said was an American soldier, wearing desert fatigues and seated on a concrete floor with his hands tied behind his back. The figure in the photo appeared stiff and expressionless. The photo's authenticity could not be confirmed.
You know, they could be "torched" at any moment. :-)
When I first saw the pic I thought.......that looks like a toy.
Thanks for posting that.
Isn't it amazing how we tend to dismiss observations if the observation does not agree with what we think we should see?
I love FR (and FD), but moments like this are incredible.
I once believed I didn't need the Internet. LOL!
Thanks Jim Robinson!
Yeah, the toy maker tipped them off. Suuuuuuuure they did.
Too late hahahahahahahahahaha
"on a web site"??????????It'd kill them to identify FreeRepublic.
"You think they would at least research and do some backgrounder on their stories and sources"
Incredible isn't it. They don't give a rats ass about the truth, just as long as it makes GWB look bad their willing to fly with anything, even if it endangers the troops. Sickening.
"I pity the fool who thinks that's a real soldier!"
But questions were raised about the authenticity of a photo purporting to show a hostage with a gun to his head. The figure in the photo appeared stiff and expressionless.
No shite sherlock. LMAO!!
We need to call Buzz Lightyear.
The Europeans have begun to celebrate, hoping that this hostage taking will mark the beginning of troop withdrawal, and the defeat of the U. S.
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
No.
They were talking about the 'jihadists' website, not FR!
Great Job!
OMG this is too much I think i hurt something laughing to much , all the guys in the lab are at my PC dying from laughter. Thanks everyone for this laugh fest
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