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05/12/2005
Iraq hostage's wife makes TV appeal
The wife of British man Norman Kember, who was kidnapped in Iraq last week, has made an appeal begging his captors to release him.
In a video broadcast on Arabic television network al-Jazeera, Pat Kember described her husband as a man who believed in peace and who had only gone to Iraq to help its people.
Mrs Kember said: “Throughout his life he bravely fought against all kinds of injustice. He went to Iraq to help the Iraqi people to stop the spread of abuse and to understand the situation in order to make Iraq a safer place.
“Please release Norman and his colleagues so that they can continue their work for the sake of peace in Iraq.”
Mr Kember, 74, from Pinner, London, was kidnapped along with two Canadians – James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden – and American Tom Fox, by a previously unknown group, calling themselves the Swords of Truth Brigade.
All the hostages belonged to the Christian Peacemaker Teams, a Canada-based international peace group.
Last Friday, al-Jazeera broadcast a video in which the hostages’ captors threatened to execute them on Thursday, unless all Iraqi prisoners in US and Iraqi detention centres were released.
On Friday, British anti-war campaigner, Anas Altikriti, was sent to Iraq by the British Anti-War Movement – comprised of the Muslim Association of Britain, the Stop the War Coalition and CND – in an attempt to secure the release of the hostages.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie. Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain condemned the kidnapping as “unjustifiable”. He said: “Our faith of Islam holds in great esteem the peaceful bridge-building work that Mr Kember was involved in.”
(KMcA/SP)
In a video broadcast on Arabic television network al-Jazeera, Pat Kember described her husband as a man who believed in peace and who had only gone to Iraq to help its people.
Mrs Kember said: “Throughout his life he bravely fought against all kinds of injustice. He went to Iraq to help the Iraqi people to stop the spread of abuse and to understand the situation in order to make Iraq a safer place.
“Please release Norman and his colleagues so that they can continue their work for the sake of peace in Iraq.”
Mr Kember, 74, from Pinner, London, was kidnapped along with two Canadians – James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden – and American Tom Fox, by a previously unknown group, calling themselves the Swords of Truth Brigade.
All the hostages belonged to the Christian Peacemaker Teams, a Canada-based international peace group.
Last Friday, al-Jazeera broadcast a video in which the hostages’ captors threatened to execute them on Thursday, unless all Iraqi prisoners in US and Iraqi detention centres were released.
On Friday, British anti-war campaigner, Anas Altikriti, was sent to Iraq by the British Anti-War Movement – comprised of the Muslim Association of Britain, the Stop the War Coalition and CND – in an attempt to secure the release of the hostages.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie. Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain condemned the kidnapping as “unjustifiable”. He said: “Our faith of Islam holds in great esteem the peaceful bridge-building work that Mr Kember was involved in.”
(KMcA/SP)
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07 December 2005
Hostage pleads for troop withdrawal in Iraq
British hostage Norman Kember has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw British troops from Iraq in a new video. The video, which was shown on the Internet, showed Mr Kember, 74, in handcuffs and shackles, along with the three other hostages, seized along with him in Baghdad nearly two weeks ago.
Hostage pleads for troop withdrawal in Iraq
British hostage Norman Kember has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw British troops from Iraq in a new video. The video, which was shown on the Internet, showed Mr Kember, 74, in handcuffs and shackles, along with the three other hostages, seized along with him in Baghdad nearly two weeks ago.
24 March 2006
Norman Kember to return to UK
The wife of British hostage Norman Kember, who is reported to be on his way back to the UK, has spoken of her joy at the release of her husband after four months of being held captive in Iraq. Pat Kember told a radio station in New Zealand that she was "thrilled" that her peace activist husband had been freed, along with two Canadian colleagues.
Norman Kember to return to UK
The wife of British hostage Norman Kember, who is reported to be on his way back to the UK, has spoken of her joy at the release of her husband after four months of being held captive in Iraq. Pat Kember told a radio station in New Zealand that she was "thrilled" that her peace activist husband had been freed, along with two Canadian colleagues.
08 December 2005
Foreign Secretary calls for Iraq hostage release
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has repeated calls for the release of four peace activists in Iraq, as their kidnappers announced that the deadline for their execution had been extended.
Foreign Secretary calls for Iraq hostage release
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has repeated calls for the release of four peace activists in Iraq, as their kidnappers announced that the deadline for their execution had been extended.
09 December 2005
Fears grow as hostage deadline looms
There have been fresh calls for the release of four peace activists, including Briton Norman Kember, being held hostage in Iraq. Moazzam Begg, a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay centre, has urged the kidnappers to release the hostages.
Fears grow as hostage deadline looms
There have been fresh calls for the release of four peace activists, including Briton Norman Kember, being held hostage in Iraq. Moazzam Begg, a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay centre, has urged the kidnappers to release the hostages.
01 December 2005
Anti-war campaigner intervenes in hostage crisis
A British anti-war campaigner is travelling to Iraq in an attempt to secure the release of peace activist Norman Kember. Anas Altikriti will fly to Iraq on Friday to attempt to appeal directly for the release of Mr Kember and three other hostages.
Anti-war campaigner intervenes in hostage crisis
A British anti-war campaigner is travelling to Iraq in an attempt to secure the release of peace activist Norman Kember. Anas Altikriti will fly to Iraq on Friday to attempt to appeal directly for the release of Mr Kember and three other hostages.
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