"Today is November 18. I have been here now 173 days and I feel we've been forgotten."
By Ian Cobain in The Guardian (thanks to all who sent this in):
Shia militiamen who kidnapped five Britons in Iraq six months ago have threatened to kill one of them if British forces do not leave the country within 10 days.The threat, made in a video broadcast on an Arabic television station yesterday, was condemned by Foreign Office officials who said it would cause great distress to the hostages' families.
One of the hostages identifies himself by his first name in the video clip and says: "Today is November 18. I have been here now 173 days and I feel we've been forgotten." He is flanked by two masked men brandishing assault rifles and in the background a banner with a sign reading "the Islamic Shi'ite Resistance in Iraq" is visible.
A written statement shown with the clip threatens that if the group's deadline for the withdrawal of British forces is not met, "this hostage will be killed as a first warning, which would be followed with details that you would not wish to know".
The statement also accuses Britain of plundering the wealth of Iraq and says that the five had "confessed and detailed the agenda with which they came to steal our wealth under false pretence of being advisers to the finance ministry". The tape then promised to "follow up with their confessions later".
An official at al-Arabiya, a Saudi-owned satellite channel based in Dubai which first broadcast the clip, said staff had received an anonymous call giving the location where the tape could be found.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We condemn the publication of this video, which serves only to add to the distress of the men's families and friends.
"Since day one of the kidnap, consular officials have remained in regular contact with the families of the men. No matter what the cause, hostage-taking can never be justified. We again call on those holding the men to release them unconditionally."
Four of those abducted were security workers for the Montreal-based firm GardaWorld; the fifth was an employee of BearingPoint, a management consulting firm based in Virginia.
Is this one of the groups that Mookie Al Sadr has lost control of? With it being Shiite and all. . .
I seem to recall that the deadline given had already passed when the tape was released. If that is the case what proof of life is there. With no proof of life and the deadline already passed is it not safe to assume that the hostages are already dead? Not to mention that the UK had already begun its withdrawal long before the tape was released. Granted the murders don't want to wait for a phased withdrawal but want them gone now. I believe it would be best if the British Foreign Office treat these unfortunate people as already dead and begin a press campaign to show that their withdrawal began way before any threat from the murders. This sounds a bit harsh but given that the deadline was passed before the tape released, it's the only conclusion to draw. The main effort now should be to not allow the murderers any claim for affecting their withdrawal.
will lord ahmed and baroness warsi travel to baghdad to try and get their release? as they did with the "innocent misunderstanding" over the teddy bear incident. will they hell.
incidentally, what were the muslims "peers" doing in sudan if they were not originally there for official business? it was just a coincidence that the "teddy bear" incident was taking place and they happened to be on personal business?
A Foreign Office spokesman said:
Oh, I think he'd be surprised to know what can be justified in Islam.
If the west leaves they will get what they deserve. War involving Iran, Syria, Turkey, Kurdistan, Saudi Arabia. They want us gone so bad I hope they enjoy the blood bath. In a futile effort we spend our blood, and treasure forestalling the inevitable ... which has been brewing since the fall of the Ottoman empire. Why should we bother. Ban Islam from the west let'em kill eachother, get alternative sources of fuel.
off topic here...
9 dead in omaha shooting. 1 gunman dead another african america with ski mask and camo arrested outside. this is a jihad attack. omaha malls were listed as being on jihad terror lists.
In relation to leonthepigfarmer's post, here is a link.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315342,00.html
PS If anyone has the codes needed to have a real link, please let me know. I only know to copy and paste links. Thanks.
Ethoman
If only it were that simple...America isn't going
to leave Iraq in near future-there are secret bases,a new huge Embassy-all intended to keep those 'sacred'oil pipes flowing. One thing I like
about John Bolton is his honesty-he rightly states
'American foreign policy is about protecting AMERICAN INTERESTS' whilst other mealy mouthed Politicians do the usual 'Democracy' spiel which
deceives no one especially those countries who have been BOMBED INTO DEMOCRACY[had puppet governments installed].
Whilst long suffering CHRISTIAN Serbs won't attack
America,hordes of 'grateful'Muslims will,Jihad after all is the most important tenet of Mo followers.
These hostages, like maimed,horribly burnt U.S soldiers are paying the price for Bush & Blair's
imperial dreams. Please note how eager War
Mongers remain safe surrounded by heavy security-
also that none of their pampered darlings-children
are facing the hells of Iraq & Afghanistan.
It doesn't take a degree in Rocket Science to work
how this badly planned, poorly executed gung ho
'Boys Own' adventure will end...
When you see Divisions of Russian soldiers straddling the Kosovo Border-and I personally want to see them
there-Americans will realise how weakened they are & hopefully how stupid Bush is. The end of
America's hegemony across the Globe is inevitable
& Americans will have the dubious comfort of knowing their leaders 'have destroyed the American Empire.' However Nature abhors a vacum
so new Super Constellations are rising-Chinese Dragon,Russian Bear & India...
http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/12163196.html
and incidentally Bush visited Omaha today.
http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/12147861.html
Let me guess another mentally desturbed practitioner of the religion of peace? We've been sounding the alarm here for years when are we gonna wake up? ... Maybe jumping the gun on this one, but I doubt it!
So far no comments on what the gunmen said. Usually thats a clue. Im leaning towards a jihadist attack since the media is burying the comments.
"We again call on those holding the men to release them unconditionally."
Reminds me of a skit, I think Monty Python wherein it was said, to paraphrase, "Police! Stop! Or I will be forced to shout 'Stop Again' even louder!!"
Sad, so very sad.
"Kuffirs of the world, Unite!"
"Islam, abusing women since 622AD"
and incidentally Bush visited Omaha today.
Posted by: ethoman
ethoman, the following is in NO way directed to you.
Oh boy. Get ready for the obvious conspiracy nuts saying it was planned by Bush. And if the nut turns out to be of the islam cult, the fur is going to fly on the talking head shows from the apologists.
Of course if I was the Brits, I would send more troops.
"this hostage will be killed as a first warning, which would be followed with details that you would not wish to know".
Does anyone doubt that the kidnappers are demon-possessed, and that they worship Satan?
Poor souls...I will redouble my prayers for them.
I am assuming the worst will happen to all of them.
How could one travel to Baghdad or Afghanistan and not be heavily armed, especially with an "Anti-Kidnapping Vest of Fragmentation Grenades", along with shoes that contain a hidden, long-range GPS transponder?
This one is easy.
Tell this so called Millita that the Brits (or any other willing allies) will kill all suspected terrorist captives.
In 2 days unless they release the five Brits.
sorry, this is no jihad attack. robert hawkins left a suicide note with his mother saying that he wanted to "go out in style".
great, another step towards the removal of the 2nd amendment due to lunatics and crazies getting their hands on weapons.
Leon,
I still wouldnt count it out. Took a long time to get out that the Beltway shooters were Muslim
Leon remember this slick little cover up?
Took some faily good digging to get at this one.
http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/yes-the-salt-laker-shooter-was-a-bosnian-muslim
Plus the fact he did this the same day Bush was in town.
I recently saw some TV documentaries of American gangs in prisons. These gang-members, who are "extreme", are just itchin' and bristlin' to bring justice onto other thugs who oppose basic American values. Too bad we can't put these men to good use...
Actually, the military action in Iraq has been of tremendous benefit to the Shiites, since it uncorked the bottle that Saddam had them in. Well, that's gratitude for you. When you come down to it, an Infidel is still an Infidel.
Is it not grand that we are expected to tolerate this kind of behavior. Like it is some exotic Cultural trait we need to find value in. Are Amateur Snuff Flicks really something to be treated so?
If this were just a Fairy Tale. The British Government would roundly demand the return of their Citizens under penalty of removing all the Blood lines of each perpetrator.
Then we have volunteers for the restricted life.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315364,00.html
Morgane
More Americans have died by violence in Detroit and New Orleans since 2003, than in Iraq and Afghanistan. 40,000 Americans die in accidents each year compared to hundreds in the war on terror. Not to be callous, but we do need some perspective. Anyway, sorry about Kosovo, that was Hillary's fault. :)
Meanwhile US productivity growth is 6.3%, unemployment rate is 4.7%, GDP growth is close to 3.8% (quarterly rate is volatile), world's best universities, most efficient agriculture, best health care system, best military, free press, transparent banks (hmm), excellent surveillance of terrorists (hmm), total control of our borders (lol), steadfast free trader, etc. And we only get 8% of our oil from the mideast. Every day I thank God for George W. Bush. :) Our only problem is too many Chicken Littles.
Hour after Bush was in town,10 dead in Omaha mall shooting: lone gunman.It's best not to leap to hasty conclusions
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hVYXjOfGYMebpWYh7i02fTan43VQD8TBI76O0
Just goes to show that wherever Bush shows up there is trouble...
From article:The statement also accuses Britain of plundering the wealth of Iraq and says that the five had "confessed and detailed the agenda with which they came to steal our wealth under false pretence of being advisers to the finance ministry".
What wealth is that the Brits came to steal? The oil money, according to reports, is being deposited in a bank in NYC, and none is being spent. The only other available wealth is that of US aid money. A Iraqi finance minister urged America, a few months ago, to stop sending money, because Iraqi's were ripping it off. So just what wealth are the Brits stealing?
Any confessions they got from the Brits were obtained under false pretenses, and probably torture...
@ topic
sheer desperation by cornered wounded animals.