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07/12/2005
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.
In the video, Mr Kember is heard to say: “I ask Mr Blair to take British troops out of Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government.”
Mr Kember, from Pinner, London, was seized in the Iraqi capital on November 26, along with three other hostages – Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 and American Tom Fox, 54.
All of the hostages are peace activists, who are part of the Christian Peacemaker Team, a Canada-based international peace group.
Their captors are a previously unknown group, calling itself the Swords of Truth Brigade, who have accused the hostages of being spies.
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.
The Christian Peacemaker Team released a statement on Tuesday, calling for the release of the hostages. It said: “While we believe the action of kidnapping is wrong, we do not condemn you as people.
“We recognise the humanity in each person, and respect it very much. This includes you, our colleagues and all people.
“We believe there needs to be a force that counters all then resentment, the fear, the intimidation felt by the Iraqi people.
“We are trying to be that force, to speak for justice, to advocate for the human rights of Iraqis, to look at an Iraqi face and say ‘my brother, my sister’.”
(KMcA/SP)
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.
In the video, Mr Kember is heard to say: “I ask Mr Blair to take British troops out of Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government.”
Mr Kember, from Pinner, London, was seized in the Iraqi capital on November 26, along with three other hostages – Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 and American Tom Fox, 54.
All of the hostages are peace activists, who are part of the Christian Peacemaker Team, a Canada-based international peace group.
Their captors are a previously unknown group, calling itself the Swords of Truth Brigade, who have accused the hostages of being spies.
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.
The Christian Peacemaker Team released a statement on Tuesday, calling for the release of the hostages. It said: “While we believe the action of kidnapping is wrong, we do not condemn you as people.
“We recognise the humanity in each person, and respect it very much. This includes you, our colleagues and all people.
“We believe there needs to be a force that counters all then resentment, the fear, the intimidation felt by the Iraqi people.
“We are trying to be that force, to speak for justice, to advocate for the human rights of Iraqis, to look at an Iraqi face and say ‘my brother, my sister’.”
(KMcA/SP)
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05 December 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.
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.
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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.
10 November 2004
Coalition forces claim control over two-thirds of Fallujah
US forces are now in control of around two-thirds of Fallujah following a third day of fierce street fighting. Marines have encountered pockets of strong resistance but have managed to gain control over several key landmark buildings in the city, including a number of bridges and the mayor's compound.
Coalition forces claim control over two-thirds of Fallujah
US forces are now in control of around two-thirds of Fallujah following a third day of fierce street fighting. Marines have encountered pockets of strong resistance but have managed to gain control over several key landmark buildings in the city, including a number of bridges and the mayor's compound.
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