Posted on 06/20/2005 3:49:54 AM PDT by iso
By ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press Writer
57 minutes ago
MELBOURNE, Australia - An Australian engineer held hostage in Iraq for nearly seven weeks arrived in his home country Monday and apologized for his televised plea for coalition forces to withdraw from Iraq. Douglas Wood, 64, who lives in Alamo, Calif., told reporters at Melbourne's airport he supported the coalition forces' role in Iraq.
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"Frankly I'd like to apologize to both President Bush and Prime Minister (John) Howard for the things I said under duress," said Wood, with his American wife Yvonne Given and his brothers Vernon and Malcolm and their wives by his side.
"I actually believe that I am proof positive that the current policy of training the Iraqi army ... works because it was Iraqis that got me out," he added.
Iraqi and U.S. troops freed Wood during a search last Wednesday of a house in Baghdad. Insurgents had held him ransom for 47 days.
Wood was abducted on April 30 when lured to what he thought was a business meeting. He had been working for more than a year in Iraq as a self-employed contractor.
A day later his captors released video images showing two masked figures pointing automatic weapons at Wood's head as he pleaded for U.S., British and Australian forces to pull out of Iraq.
Australia's top Islamic cleric, meanwhile, said the military operation to free Wood could have endangered the lives of two Iraqis still being held by the kidnappers.
"The stupid action that was taken last week has exposed the fathers of these families to death," Sheik Taj El Din al-Hilaly told reporters on his return from Baghdad, where he had tried to secure Wood's release. He said it was unlikely the Iraqi hostages would now be freed.
His comments, delivered in Arabic, were translated into English by his spokesman Keysar Trad.
Australia sent a hostage negotiation team with elite troops to Iraq to try to secure his freedom. The government refused the kidnappers' demands that Australia withdraw its 1,400 troops from Iraq and pay a reported $19 million ransom.
Wood described his treatment at the hands of the kidnappers, who kicked him in the head and shaved off his hair, as "a bit intimidating." He said he sometimes feared for his life. He declined to discuss his captors, saying the ordeal was "too traumatic."
Clearly elated at being back in Australia, he entered the news conference shouting "Waltzing Matilda," the title of Australia's unofficial national song.
Asked if he was feeling fragile after his ordeal, he said: "Not especially. I've got some physical ailments and I've been deprived of medication for a bit."
Wood suffers a heart condition but his captors gave him medication apparently passed to them by al-Hilaly.
Howard said he received a briefing from the head of the Australian hostage team, Nick Warner, Sunday night. Warner confirmed Wood was picked up by U.S. and Iraqi forces in a sweep-and-cordon operation.
Howard welcomed Wood's apology, but said he had not sought it. "After what that poor man has been through, that would be the last thing I would want," Howard told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Wood said he did not know who the insurgents were who kidnapped him.
"I didn't know whether it was al-Qaida or who it was," he said. "I didn't know ... obviously, my head is intact, so it wasn't al-Qaida."
Ping !
The MSM will think he was brain washed by coalition forces.
And media is sad .
And they are safe and secure now?! Perhaps he should go back there a negotiate their release too! Ahhh...heck he wouldn't do that, deny these guys their virgins and a chance to blame the US....
Yeah, it seems the Australian cleric wants us to let the kidnappers dictate the terms. Makes me ill.
I believe he is a terrorist ,too .
Islam.......Religion of peace.Uh huh.
"Australia's top Islamic cleric, meanwhile, said the military operation to free Wood could have endangered the lives of two Iraqis still being held by the kidnappers."
I read that a couple of Iraqis being held were also rescued along with Wood. Maybe there are others being held at another location.
"Wood suffers a heart condition but his captors gave him medication apparently passed to them by al-Hilaly."
Hmmm.......maybe this wasn't meant to sound quite the way it does?
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