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To: dennisw; SJackson; MeekOneGOP; Ragtime Cowgirl; Salem; JohnHuang2; B4Ranch; TrueBeliever9; ...
American is taken away
  American is taken away

THREAT TO KILL US HOSTAGE
Iraqi militants have threatened to kill an American hostage unless US troops pull out of Fallujah, according to an Arab TV network. 

The man - who gave his name as Thomas Hamill - was taken hostage by masked Iraqi gunmen near Baghdad.

"Up to now your prisoner is being dealt with in the tolerant manner specified by Islamic law," a voice on a tape shown on the Al Jazeera network said.

"Our one request is to break the siege of the city of the mosques (Fallujah) during the 12 hours from six o'clock on Saturday evening.

"If not he will be dealt with worse that those who were killed and burned in Fallujah."

The man was initially filmed by an Australian TV crew - explaining that he had been taken prisoner after his convoy was attacked.

Wearing jeans and a black shirt, he was shown sitting in the back of a car.

Next to him was a hooded gunman who was holding an automatic-rifle on his lap.

The hostage told reporters his name was Thomas Hamill before the car sped away.

An Iraqi man in the front passenger seat, who was masked by a traditional headress, leant out of the window and put his thumb up as the car drove off.

The car drove past a burning truck as it left the scene.

This is the latest in a spate of kidnappings of foreigners in Iraq during the recent upsurge in violence.

2 posted on 04/10/2004 11:58:41 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (U.S.A. - - United We Stand - - Divided We Fall - - Support Our Troops - - Vote BUSH)
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To: All

IRAQIS SEIZE 30 HOSTAGES
An Arabic television channel has broadcast a tape from an Iraqi group which is threatening to kill 30 foreign hostages.

The group has threatened to cut off the heads of their prisoners unless US forces lift a blockade of the town of Fallujah.

"We are calling for the withdrawal of American and Coalition forces.

"We have Japanese, Bulgarian, Israeli, American, Spanish and Korean hostages.

"Their numbers are 30," said a masked man holding a Kalashnikov rifle.

Violence has escalated throughout Iraq, with street fighting in northwest Baghdad and an attack on a fuel convoy west of the city.

Two American soldiers and a number of civilians are missing following the attack by militants.

The US Army said it had killed 12 rebels in northern Iraq, destroying their truck with a missile after the guerrillas opened fire.

US forces also killed three guerrillas after clashes broke out at a demonstration in front of Mosul city hall.

US soldiers near Fallujah
US soldiers near Fallujah

There are fears of further unrest as more than a million Shia Muslims gather in the city of Karbala to mark the holy day of Arbain.

But there is a ceasefire in the nearby Sunni stronghold of Fallujah where US forces are holding peace talks with local leaders.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell promised to defeat the insurgents, although he admitted the past week had been "tough" for Coalition forces.

The other key developments in Iraq:

:: Fears grow for Briton Gary Teeley who is believed to have been kidnapped in Nasiriyah last Monday.

:: Two German security officials vanish while travelling to the German embassy in Baghdad from Jordan.

:: The director of the Iraqi Red Crescent in the northern city of Arbil and his wife are murdered.

:: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi makes a surprise Easter visit to Italian troops based in the southern Iraq city of Nassiriya.

:: US Vice President Dick Cheney arrives in Tokyo where the government has pledged to keep its troops in Iraq despite the kidapping of three Japanese citizens.

Last Updated: 18:19 UK, Saturday April 10, 2004

4 posted on 04/10/2004 12:00:33 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (U.S.A. - - United We Stand - - Divided We Fall - - Support Our Troops - - Vote BUSH)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl; NRA2BFree; TrueBeliever9; Salem; Geist Krieger; Dubya
Prayer chain ping for Thomas Hamill.
5 posted on 04/10/2004 12:02:10 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (U.S.A. - - United We Stand - - Divided We Fall - - Support Our Troops - - Vote BUSH)
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To: Happy2BMe
This man could have been my husband - my husband's company was looking to contract in Iraq earlier this year.

I think I will pray for him as if he were my husband...
24 posted on 04/10/2004 12:38:47 PM PDT by dandelion
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To: Happy2BMe
I would probably be suspended for saying what I'm thinking right now. Just
G-r-r-r-r-r !

What would Carter say about this ? Probably that we should be patient for at
least 444 days and everything will be ok. < /Carter >


39 posted on 04/10/2004 2:08:26 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Become a monthly donor on FR. No amount is too small and monthly giving is the way to go !)
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