Sheik leaves Iraq without Wood Nick Butterly
10jun05
THE sheik attempting to free hostage Douglas Wood has left Iraq, raising concerns his mission may have hit a brick wall.
Sources in Australia confirmed Sheik Taj el-Din el-Hilaly had flown out of Baghdad, most likely for Egypt, the country of his birth.
The sheik had previously said this was to be his last trip to Iraq, and that he would almost certainly leave with Mr Wood. But he left alone, suggesting something may have gone wrong in the negotiations with the kidnappers.
The mufti was quoted a week ago as saying he had seen the engineer, but quickly amended that to say he had seen a new video of him.
One man thought to be close to the sheik said the initial report had had an effect like "throwing a rock into a flock of pigeons" and the hostage-takers had gone to ground.
However, the mufti is said to suffer from heart problems and he may have left to seek treatment.
A spokesman for Mr Wood's family said his brothers, Malcolm and Vernon, were refusing to give up.
Australian government negotiators were provided with "proof of life" last week.
Pilot shares Iraq experiences
Chief Warrant Officer Tom Humes is shown with a unidentified Kurdish officer in Iraq. (Submitted to the Milford Chronicle)
Jun 09, 2005 - 11:27:26 pm EDT
By Gwen Guerke, Milford Chronicle
MILFORD - Army National Guardsman Tom Humes took a break from his deployment in Iraq to come home to Milford and spend time with his wife and children.
Chief Warrant Officer Humes, 43, was fortunate that his leave also coincided with the date of his son's wedding Saturday at Avenue United Methodist Church.
Although he's been in the National Guard since 1985, this is the first time he's been called to active duty, to use his skills as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot.
His unit, while based in New Castle, is part of the 42nd Infantry Division from New York.
The owner of Gander Construction was called to active duty on June 2, 2004.
His company was deployed to For Dix, N.J., for five and half months of training. He also trained at Fort Rucker in Alabama on combat flight simulators, and in Fort Indiantown, Pa., for using night vision goggles.
After training was complete, the company left in November for Kuwait.
Chief Warrant Officer Humes spent Thanksgiving in Kuwait, living in a 70-man tent and completing desert flight qualifications.
In December, the unit flew to Iraq and the group's new home at Forward Operating Base Speicher.
He describes the living quarters as 20-foot trailers, each of which holds four men. The bathrooms and showers are situated in separate trailers, and the dining room, or chow hall, is a half-mile walk.
He said his missions involve battlefield circulation of troops and VIP transport.
A couple of weeks ago, Chief Warrant Officer Humes carried country singer Toby Keith to visit with local troops.
"He said he wanted to go where the troopers were, no matter what the risk was to himself, and he did. We took him to some out of the way places. He was tired and dehydrated, but did not slow down. The troops he saw were very glad to see him, and to get pictures taken with him. He performed for about an hour at each stop," he said.
"My job is not all a cake walk. There are rockets and mortars, but it's not like out driving a convoy. There are some moments that really get your attention," he added.
Chief Warrant Officer Humes said what he's experienced in Iraq is not what he sees on American TV.
"What people see in the media is mostly the bad side. We're getting people's confidence in the Iraqi army and police. They are taking steps in the right direction, and I think most people there feel we're doing good," he said.
In an e-mail sent in May to family and friends back home, Chief Warrant Officer Humes described having tea and some sweet bread with some Kurds.
He wrote about swatting flies while exchanging token items, such as pens and patches, with them.
"The Kurds are very grateful to the Americans for getting rid of Saddam Hussein. One man said that Hussein killed his father when he was a boy. I didn't question how or why this happened. Hussein killed lots of Kurds. I have even heard stories that the Iraqi Army helicopters would use them as human targets for gunnery practice," he wrote.
Chief Warrant Officer Humes, the son of Carolyn and Harry Humes, said he and his wife, Sandy, and their two children, Quinn and Anna, spent time camping, going to the beach and visiting a theme park.
He expects to finish up his tour of duty in October or November when his unit is replaced by members of the 101st Airborne Division.
Chief Warrant Officer Humes says he knows his military service is appreciated when he comes home.
"Everybody supports you. Even coming through the airports, people come up to you and say thank you," he said.
