Now we should get some answers. From [1] ABCNews, with thanks to Bob:

July 8, 2004 — A U.S. Marine missing from Iraq for more than two weeks is safe and being questioned at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, ABC News has learned. ...

U.S. military officials have said the Lebanese-born Hassoun disappeared June 20 from Iraq on "unauthorized leave," but changed his status to "captured" after he turned up on Arab television blindfolded with a sword hanging over his head.

On Saturday, a statement posted on an Islamist Web site said Hassoun had been beheaded in Iraq. But a day later, another Web statement declared the Marine had not been killed after he promised not to rejoin the U.S. military. ...

U.S. military officials say they are investigating his disappearance amid suspicions of a possible hoax.