Posted on 09/07/2005 9:15:29 PM PDT by Valin
AN AMERICAN contractor who had been held hostage in Iraq since November was rescued by US troops yesterday after a tip-off from an Iraqi detainee. Roy Hallums, 57, was found in an isolated farmhouse 15 miles south of Baghdad.
In a telephone interview with CNN, Susan Hallums, his former wife, said that she had talked to Mr Hallums by telephone.
“That’s the best phone call I’ve ever gotten,” she said. “It was just very, very early this morning and he called and said that he was free, and I said that’s just . . . our prayers were answered. It was just so wonderful to hear his voice and to hear my kids calling me so happy.”
Mrs Hallums told American reporters that her former husband had been “tied and bound” in a farmhouse and “finds it difficult to walk”. The freed man had called his daughter, Amanda, in Memphis, Tennessee, and told her: “I was rescued. I love you.”
Mrs Hallums and her husband of 30 years divorced two years ago but remain good friends, she said. They have two daughters.
Mr Hallums, who worked for the Saudi Trading and Construction Co supplying food to the Iraqi army, was seized during an attack on his office in the Mansur neighbourhood of Baghdad on November 1 last year with five others. A guard and an assailant were killed in the gunbattle. Four captives were later released. The fifth hostage, Robert Tarongoy, a Filipino, was released in June.
In January a video released by his captors showed Mr Hallums looking bearded and haggard, a gun pointed at his head, pleading for his life.
After the video his family sent fliers to Iraq offering, in English and Arabic, a $40,000 (£22,000) reward for information leading to his release. Coalition forces said they had rescued Mr Hallums and an unnamed Iraqi after launching a snap operation in response to a tip-off from an Iraqi detainee.
News of Mr Hallums’s release came after four American contractors were killed by a roadside bomb yesterday morning in the southern city of Basra. The men were travelling in convoy when the lead vehicle was blown up.
British forces in the area secured the site within minutes to find three Americans dead and a fourth seriously injured. He later died of his injuries.
“All four individuals worked for a private security firm supporting the regional US Embassy office in Basra,” Peter Mitchell, a US Embassy spokesman in Baghdad, said.
Southern Iraq, a predominantly Shia area, has been relatively quiet since the end of the Shia insurgency last autumn. However, two British soldiers were killed on Monday west of Basra when their Land Rover was hit by a bomb. Last night 16 people died and 20 were injured when a car bomb exploded in the centre of the city.
God Bless our Troops
C'mon Dude!!! That's Torture :-)
Hot damn!
Thank God...
I honestly thought we'd never see him alive again. Better days, Roy!
Thanks for post.
15 miles south of Baghdad puts it most likely in the town of Al Mahmudiya. That town has been bad news since day one. It along with a town to the south of it some 8 miles on route #8, the n/s main route connecting the capital with points south called Latifiya, are dead center in the area known as the triangle of death. Many of the beadheadings over the past two plus years have taken place in these two places and just to the west toward Iskandiriya. Many of the Saddamist have operated in these towns for a long time. The article's closeing statements as usual shows the reporters simply do not have a sense as to what they heck they report. The closing statment is indicative of the atmosphere some 70 miles plus southerward, but not where this gent was found alive. My nephew a Marine was with the WarLords (2/2) during his first deployment and their FOB was at Al Mahmudiya. He is in Intel. So upon return from his his first tour, I got a pretty good idea of what when down in those various towns in the triangle of death area. So I am not just spouting off. At any rate, it is great to hear the guy is now free. Lord willing he shall recover fully.
Talk about happy to see someone!!! Welcome back.
I haven't heard this anywhere else? Just wondering why not?
The reporter is so quick with the numbers of American casualties, why isn't he also quick with the "insurgent" numbers?
All of them, I hope.
I'd prefer to capture them, if possible. Underwear interrogation techniques work best on live terrorists.
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.