Pa. family angry with American government over son's brutal death

pennlive ^ | 5/11/2004, 2:34 p.m. ET | By JASON STRAZIUSO

[Petronski]

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — The family of an American civilian shown beheaded on an Islamic militant Web site huddled in in tears Tuesday after learning of the existence of the graphic videotape.

The video showed Nick Berg, 26, in a staged execution carried out by an al-Qaida affiliated group. The video said the killing was to avenge the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers.

"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Suzanne," the man said on the video before being killed. "I have a brother and sister, David and Sara. I live in ... Philadelphia."

Berg's family said U.S. State Department officials on Monday had told them Berg was decapitated. The family, though, had wanted that information to remain private.

When told about news of the Web site Nick Berg's father, brother and sister, collapsed to the ground in a tearful hug in their front yard.

"I knew he was decapitated before," said the father, Michael Berg. "That manner is preferable to a long and torturous death. But I didn't want it to become public."

Michael Berg lashed out at the U.S. military and Bush administration, saying his son might still be alive had he not been detained by U.S. officials in Iraq without being charged and without access to a lawyer.

Nick Berg, a small telecommunications business owner, spoke to his parents on March 24 and told them he would return home on March 30. But Berg was detained by Iraqi police at a checkpoint in Mosul on March 24. He was turned over to U.S. officials and detained for 13 days.

His father, Michael, said his son wasn't allowed to make phone calls or contact a lawyer.

FBI agents visited Berg's parents in West Chester on March 31 and told the family they were trying to confirm their son's identity. On April 5, the Bergs filed suit in federal court in Philadelphia, contending that their son was being held illegally by the U.S. military. The next day Berg was released. He told his parents he hadn't been mistreated.

Michael Berg said he blamed the U.S. government for creating circumstances that led to his son's death. He said if his son hadn't been detained for so long, he might have been able to leave the country before the violence worsened.

"I think a lot of people are fed up with the lack of civil rights this thing has caused," he said. "I don't think this administration is committed to democracy."

The Bergs last heard from their son April 9, when he said he would come home by way of Jordan.

Berg had traveled several times to Third World countries to help spread technology, his family said. He had previously traveled to Kenya and Ghana, where they said he had purchased a $900 brick-making press for a poor village, the family said.

Berg's mother, Suzanne Berg, said her son was in Iraq to help rebuild communication antennas.

"He had this idea that he could help rebuild the infrastructure," she said.

Michael Berg described himself as fervently anti-war, but said his son disagreed with him.

"He was a Bush supporter," Berg said. "He looked at it as bringing democracy to a country that didn't have it."

Suzanne Berg said she was told her son's body would be transported to Kuwait and then to Dover, Del. She said the family had been trying for weeks to learn where their son was but that federal officials had not been helpful.

"I went through this with them for weeks," she said. "I basically ended up doing most of the investigating myself."

[montag813]

BLOOD ON THE HANDS OF VIACOM!

BLOOD ON THE HANDS OF HACKWORTH!

BLOOD ON THE HANDS OF THE DEMOCRATS!

How many Americans will die as a result of their traitorous attempts to use these images as a political weapon?

[TYVets]

"The father has done his share of fanning that hatred right here in this country"

And like a true liberal would do, the father blames everyone except the ones who killed his son.

Sad

[RetiredArmy]

Yes, yes, yes. All Bush's fault. Blame Bush. Lindberg baby kidnapped, blame Bush; Pearl Harbor attacked, blame Bush; South fires on Fort Sumner, blame Bush; Custer loses entire command to band of Indians, blame Bush; Yes, Bush is the reason for all the world's evil and bad things happening. Bush probably called bin Laden and gave him airline directions to hit the WTC; probably gave Saddam the hiddie hole address where to hide; Bush is the source of it all. Easy to blame Bush. Gas shortages in USA thanks to low oil reserves and even lower gas reserves because of envirowacckos regulations, but let's blame Bush; Some poor farmer was strangled to death in a field here in WA state the other day, probably was Bush if you get an interview with local law enforcement; Ron Sims, the fine King County head honcho is putting a homeless camp in the middle of a suburban neighborhood without telling the residents of that neighborhood. Bet you could call Sims and he'd tell you Bush put him up to it. Yes, all things wrong, just blame George W. Bush. The planet's whipping boy right now. Yup, GWB is the reason for all the wrong in the world. Just ask any stinking, un-American, freedom hating, gun-hating, taxing, simeball liberal/leftist.

[truthkeeper]

Well, thanks for saying it. I'm with you.

[Sybeck1]

what's that site you can see who gave the candidates money? Wonder if we could check dad's name on that?

[hershey]

Mr. Berg isn't thinking straight, and maybe never will. I suppose the terrorists would call him a 'useful idiot', as the communists did of people like Mr. Berg not so long ago. Mr. Berg doesn't think there was a communist threat, either. It's so sad, so terrible. There aren't words. Those who make hay out of this young man's death are despicable and should be shunned.

[Howlin]

What is that?

[Sender]

The complete inversion of morality and lack of understanding over at DU is staggering. Damn them and their communist anarchist supporters!

WANT SOME, ASSES OF EVIL? BRING IT ON!

[RetiredArmy]

I'm not sure of the site. Probably something like: www.george.w.bush.sucks.and.is.at.fault.for.all.the.wrong.in.the.world@democommies/socialist/scum.org. Something like that.

[hershey]

Thank you for putting my thoughts down so well.

[OldFriend]

As the mother of a 26 yr. old child, I would beg you to retract your comment.

[HungarianGypsy]

Everything is Bush's fault. I didn't know he was so good with a sword.
You didn't know? Bush is apparently some sort of demi-god who knows all, sees all, and is the cause of all. At least I think that's what it says in the liberal handbook.

[Parmy]

I think the Democrats on the Senate Armed Services committee should be forced to resign. It was they who precipitated this heinous murder.

And, the perps were so courageous that they wore ski masks.

[cvq3842]

Right! And a moron at the same time.

Don't ya just luv it?

:)

[kcvl]

Lawsuit filed by Nick's family.

[Howlin]

but feel nothing but revulsion and disgust for his father, whose face I would spit on if I had the opportunity.

As the mother of a 27 year old I lost 4 years ago, I second that.

What a HORRIBLE thing to say about a grieving father, regardless of his politics.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

I hope every American is taking full note of the "Berg" family anger with the USA military and the Bush administration. I don't know if Mr. Berg senior is Jewish or not, but as you can see the "animal" Muslim terrorists did not give a hoot about Mr. Berg's anti-war feelings, nor his membership in the hate America group called A.N.S.W.E.R. Poor soul is a fool, just like other American Jews or females that plan to vote for John Kerry. The idiots are voting for their own rape, abuse and death! Man, these terrorists are gonna have a ball slitting the throats and cutting off the heads of liberal scum like Michael Moore, Al Franken, Barbra Streisand, Harry Weinstein, Sean Penn, Jeanine Garfalo, Katie Couric, Chris Matthews, Howard Finestein, Molly Ivins, Richard Clarke, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, etc. The blades are being sharpened, so get ready boys and girls. If the American people have one ounce of brains in their heads, they will completely destroy the current Democrat Party this November. If not, you folks bought your own ticket to hell! You have been warned.

[Howlin]

About what?

[Jaded]

That is very true. Even if the family knew days ago, that's not the kind of thing that you want broadcast to everyone in the midst of private grief. I do think the more despicable in this is the press who camp out on the doorstep of the victim's family just for a photo op.

[TomGuy]

CSPAN 3 is continuing the Iraqi Prisoner Abuse hearing this afternoon.

I just turned it on.

Business as usual, it appears. I don't know if they are aware of Berg being beheaded or the video.

Majority Leader Frist should walk in and say 'this farce is over because we have a real war going on' and shut this down.