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American held in Iraq tells of torture
San Antonio Express News ^ | 9/23/05 | AP

Posted on 09/25/2005 6:12:26 AM PDT by Alissa

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- An American contract worker who was kidnapped in Iraq and held more than 10 months says in an interview that his captors kept him blindfolded and bound throughout the ordeal.

Roy Hallums, 57, described his experience to "60 Minutes" reporter Lesley Stahl in a segment that will air Sunday on CBS.

Hallums also said the motive behind his kidnapping was ransom but he refused to give his captors contact information for his family to spare them from having to negotiate.

Hallums was rescued Sept. 7 by coalition troops from a 4-foot-high crawl space under a farmhouse. He returned to his hometown of Memphis two days later to a joyous family reunion.

When I saw him come down off the plane, it was the happiest moment of my life," his ex-wife, Susan Hallums, told The Associated Press earlier this month.

Hallums, who worked for a contractor supplying food to the Iraqi Army, was captured Nov. 1 during an armed assault on the Baghdad compound where he lived. According to a release from CBS, he said that his captors used beatings to force him to criticize President Bush in a videotape.

On the video that was monitored in Iraq in January, Hallums was seen with a rifle pointed at his head.

"I am please asking for help because my life is in danger because it's been proved I worked for American forces," he said on the video. "I'm not asking for any help from President Bush because I know of his selfishness and unconcern for those who've been pushed into this hellhole."

Hallums told "60 Minutes" that he believed the captors were related, ran "a family business" and were trying to get ransom money.

The kidnappers tried to force Hallums to give them a phone number for his family so they could ask for money, but Hallums did not reveal that information.

"I knew if I gave them the number, they would call them and ask for money," Hallums said. "I didn't want (my family) to deal with a call like that."

While he was missing, his ex-wife and two daughters set up a Web site, called world leaders, raised money for information and held candlelight vigils.

According to CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco, the taped interview will show that the coalition unit that rescued Hallums had information that led them to the entrance of the crawl space, which was hidden by a refrigerator.

The FBI has been speaking with Hallums since his return to the United States, according to daughter Carrie Anne Cooper. She also said that the FBI was instrumental in the investigation into his kidnapping.

"I'm not totally here yet," Hallums said in the interview, "because that was my reality for 10 months."


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hostage; hostages; iraq; prisonabuse; royhallums; torture
Since the AP changes its titles so often, this may be a duplicate, but if so, it deserve more attention to show the hypocracy of the media. I found this article on page 10 below a glowing report of the anti-war protest.

I also asked that this be kept under "Front Page" news, since that is where it SHOULD have been printed in our newspapers. Maybe FR should have a sidebar title Front Page News that is Hidden in the Back pages, or What Should be on the Front Pages!

1 posted on 09/25/2005 6:12:29 AM PDT by Alissa
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To: Alissa

I wonder if his torture involved anything more vicious than
having women's underwear placed on his head.


2 posted on 09/25/2005 6:14:59 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative
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To: Alissa

Yes, yes, yes, but did they really torture him? Did they put panties on his head? If not, then the MSM couldn't possibly call it torture.

Sarcasm, of course.


3 posted on 09/25/2005 6:16:09 AM PDT by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: Alissa
I am please asking for help because my life is in danger because it's been proved I worked for American forces," he said on the video. "I'm not asking for any help from President Bush because I know of his selfishness and unconcern for those who've been pushed into this hellhole

Sounds like Cindy Sheehan's script. The could have just sent her a plane ticket and avoided all the torture stuff.

4 posted on 09/25/2005 6:23:03 AM PDT by neodad (Rule Number 1: Be Armed)
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To: Alissa

Torture of American by Iraqis? Where are the loud squalls from the people who yelled so loud when Iraqi terrorists were "tortured" by American Army guards who made them strip in from of females??

You won't hear any.


5 posted on 09/25/2005 6:24:23 AM PDT by R.W.Ratikal
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To: Alissa

Another man with intelligence plus intestinal fortitude (guts)! I wish he would run for Congress or the Senate. Then there'd be one.

Of the two sides of the isle in our legislature, we have, Left, our enemies and, Right, those that don't fight against our enemies.

Apparently all the men went overseas in uniform (and some in civies or contractor's uniform - do they wear one?), leaving us a feminized nation with the likes of Comrade Hillary and Mother Sheehan.

And Katrina and Rita.


6 posted on 09/25/2005 6:37:27 AM PDT by RoadTest (Eccl. 10:2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.)
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To: DJ Taylor
Everyone misses the point about torture, "freedom fighters" can not torture anyone, the MSM refers to it as politely asking questions. It is only the US that can torture anyone, it is when asking questions is referred to as torture. We are not allowed to ask questions that may make the "freedom fighter" uncomfortable, like where is OBL. That is torture of the worst kind. But a terrorist sawing off the head of someone while they are still alive, is well......Bush's fault.
7 posted on 09/25/2005 6:45:15 AM PDT by stockpirate (John Kerry & FBI files ==> http://www.freerepublic.com/~stockpirate/)
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To: Alissa

"I knew if I gave them the number, they would call them and ask for money," Hallums said. "I didn't want (my family) to deal with a call like that."

'"When I saw him come down off the plane, it was the happiest moment of my life," his ex-wife, Susan Hallums, told The Associated Press earlier this month.'

Maybe they will get back together. There is obviously still something there.


8 posted on 09/25/2005 6:54:46 AM PDT by Praxeus
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To: Gay State Conservative
"I wonder if his torture involved anything more vicious than having women's underwear placed on his head."

He had to spend 3 hours in a locked cell with this woman:


9 posted on 09/25/2005 6:57:31 AM PDT by jdm
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To: R.W.Ratikal

Has anybody ever heard about the soldier named Maupin who was captured over a year ago?


10 posted on 09/25/2005 7:20:40 AM PDT by Thebaddog (How's yer dogs?)
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To: Alissa

Before the interview, a CBS producer asked Hallums not to be 'too angry'.


11 posted on 09/25/2005 8:32:23 AM PDT by citizencon
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To: jdm

That is disgusting! (Short pause to hurl.)

I notice that she seems to be reaching for something with her right hand. Must be a Big Mac and a large fries.


12 posted on 09/25/2005 1:51:24 PM PDT by billnaz (What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand?)
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To: Alissa

We could send Cindy over there. They wouldn't have to torture her to say bad things about our president or our country.


13 posted on 09/25/2005 2:10:12 PM PDT by tiki
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To: jdm
Surely this is not a real picture.....surely.

It is truly disgusting...

..If this is a real picture...(I hesitate to ask) ...is that her belly hanging out...(I should not even ask, but it's awful, just awful)

14 posted on 09/25/2005 6:37:28 PM PDT by Guenevere (God bless our military!...and God bless the President of the United States!)
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