Christian Aid Workers Freed In Iraq

MetroSource News | 03/23/2006 | Alisha Mathis

[prisoner6]

MetroSource News 03/23/2006 02:32:46 Iraq Christians Freed URGENT

>>Christian Aid Workers Freed In Iraq

(Baghdad) -- Three Christian aid workers kidnapped in Iraq have been freed following what's being described as "a planned operation mounted by the Multinational Forces in Iraq." The British Embassy has confirmed that Briton Norman Kember and two Canadian nationals -- Harmeet Sooden and Jim Loney are being evaluated by doctors and are currently in the care of consular staff. The three men were taken hostage along with a fourth member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams in late November. The body of Tom Fox, a native of Virginia, was recovered earlier this month in Baghdad.

### Alisha Mathis/bak

[FreedomPoster]

Yes, I was quite surprised.

They seem to be making some efforts at self-examination of their biases, which is laudable.

Biased AJC coverage: Panel voices points to build on
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tuck/stories/031806.html

My son had one of the outside panel members, Tim Furnish, for a history class. We need more guys like him in our universities. Though frankly, this guy should probably be working for the CIA or DIA, but I'm getting *way* off-topic now.

[ChadGore]

Re: ransom

I'm looking forward to a press conference from our DOD today.

I really do hope that they didn't fund the insurgency.

[SuziQ]

Sounds as if a ransom was paid ...

Not necessarily. If it was a small group holding the men, they could have been gone for any number of reasons. They likely thought that the captors would not try to escape, if they hadn't tried to already, so felt comfortable leaving them alone. Might have just been good intel on the part of the coalition.

[ChadGore]

"Great to be free" British Iraq hostage says

Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:04 PM GMT

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - "It's great to be free," rescued British hostage Norman Kember said after he and two Canadian fellow peace activists were released in Iraq on Thursday.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to the U.K.," the 74- year-old Christian pacifist from London added in a brief statement released by the British embassy in Baghdad.

"Norman Kember is smiling and happy and is relaxing with British diplomats," embassy spokeswoman Lisa Glover said.

Kember and Canadians Harmeet Sooden and Jim Loney were rescued by British-led forces early on Thursday after four months in captivity. Their American colleague Tom Fox was tortured and killed this month.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Lookie referenced article from the Telegraph says:

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said special forces had released the men during an operation in Baghdad.

Is it possible that the commandos were actually holding the hostages for a little bit?

Out of all the possible scenarios, that would be the worst one for them, even worse than death.

[ChadGore]

JACK STRAW, FOREIGN SECRETARY

Jack Straw made two trips to Iraq since Norman Kember's capture

"I'm delighted that now we have a happy ending to this terrible ordeal for Norman Kember, for his family, for the Canadian hostages and for their families as well.

I spoke about half an hour ago to Mrs Kember. The Foreign Office have kept in very close touch with her and I've spoken to her from time to time and of course it goes without saying that she is absolutely delighted, elated with this news.

But the family will need time and space to deal with what is happy news and I hope that the British and international media will respect their wishes here."

[Actually_in_Tokyo]

Sounds like US and British forces were holding the hostages from the way they express it:

(from CNN site)
U.S. and British forces have freed three Christian aid workers held hostage in Iraq, ending....

[ChadGore]

TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER

A spokesman for Tony Blair said: "The prime minister is delighted by the news. He is particularly pleased for those released and their families and congratulates everyone involved in the rescue operation."

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Freed or rescued? 2 news sources says have it different, sounds like one is playing it down.

[ChadGore]

http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&tab=in&ncl=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/international/middleeast/23cnd-hostages.html%3Fhp%26ex%3D1143176400%26en%3D1c7c1b639dfdc5a6%26ei%3D5094%26partner%3Dhomepage

[unixfox]

I ain't shedding any tears...Christian Peace Team can go to hell.

These people are like the leeches here in the U.S. They get everything handed to them on a platter and all they do is complain they aren't getting enough.

When was the last time we heard of a welfare recipient saying thanks to those that provide it? NEVER.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Thanks I hadnt thought of that before : /

My point was some headlines read "Rescued", the liberal-slanting MSM ones read "Freed", and to me there's a difference. Ya know?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

They use the guise of "Christian" to mask their motives. Much like some Planned Parenthood abortion clinics in my town are listed as "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" in order to get people to accept them

[girlangler]

Boy, you just said exactly what I was going to post.

[TexasCajun]

hmmm, wonder if money exchanged hands.

The terrorist got ratted out by one of their own that got captured about 3 hrs earlier.

The 'savehouse' was empty, except the tied hostages.

...from what I've read.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

BOORTZ TELLS THE TRUTH ON HIS SHOW!!

The F'ng christian Peacemakers were RESCUED ! those Basta@@@s never even gave thanks to the US & British military! the Left is so friggin nuts!!! I am furious!!!

[Rebelbase]

These people were not found with their heads cut off so it's not really news fit for publishing.

[faq]

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the U.S. military spokesman, said the hostages were being held by a "kidnapping cell," and the operation to free the captives was based on information from a man captured by U.S. forces only three hours earlier.

No kidnappers were present when the troops broke into a house in western Baghdad. The captives' hands were tied, Lynch said.

Yahoo

[Lunatic Fringe]

"Released"?

They were RESCUED! But their press release practically thanks their captors for "releasing" them!

[FreedomNeocon]

Lovely... they are RESCUED (though no 'insurgents' were in the house when we arrived, their hands were tied) by American and British forces, yet no 'thank you' to them on their website. Even more they call for the immediate with-drawl of the forces that 'are the source cause for much of the strife'... the very forces the freed them.

Typical...

I'm sure it will get worse.