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."

[cyncooper]

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.

And the U.S. officials complied. It only came out when the "Islamic militant Web site" played the video demonstrating how this man was killed.

[PISANO]

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.

There you go folks.........a angry, shocked and deeply saddened father who BLAMES George Bush for his son's beheading, NOT AL QAEDA, George Bush and the US Military.

I weep for Mr Berg, BUT he's got it wrong. Hopefully he will come to realize this as time goes on. Somehow I doubt it. Sad, sad, sad!

[adam_az]

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

Howl away. You too, OldFriend.

He is a scumbag for dishonoring his son by using his death to advance his politics - politics his son did not share.

I send my virtual saliva in his general direction!

[sauropod]

The stupidity of the father does not warrant decapitation of the son.

[SeeRushToldU_So]

This article leaves out how he was captured by the bad guys.

[familyofman]

The Bergs just might be Quakers, since most of the Quakers in the US are in the Philly area, and they have always been anti-war.
My heartfelt condolences go out to the parents who lost there son, just as they went to the Tillman family and all others that have lost children unjustly in a far away place.
This is not a time for animus toward those that are grieving - just my opinion (humbly).

[Petronski]

My multiple hard drive crashes last fall....well, obviously: Bush knew, and did nothing to stop it.

He Let It Happen On Purpose.

That is a National Outrage!

[OldFriend]

This family ought to be furious with the media for exploiting the death of their son, brother.

Having a child that age and also a another who served four years in the US Army I can imagine the pain this family is suffering and I pray for them.

Yes, I refer to mine as children, they will be my children till the day I die.

[mwl1]

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.

You are correct on the merits, however you give the average American voter way too much intelligence. They just cannot grasp the obviousness of your position. The sheeple will follow the lead of the family and the news media, not the Administration on this. Its tragic, both politically and for our national security as well.

[OldFriend]

Shame on you. Leave the dad alone.

[Howlin]

Mr. Berg leaves posts on this web site:

http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/

[OldFriend]

The son did not go to war. He went to work in Iraq to bring telecommunication to the people there.

[Ann Archy]

WHY was he detained by the Iraqi police and then for 13 days by our military??? I HATE the press when they leave out VERY important info.

Anyone know why he was detained????

Hopefully the father will not desecrate his son's memory.....he believed he was going to help develop a DEMOCRACY!!

[HungarianGypsy]

I know a dimwit (I mention him a lot on threads) who takes every chance to bash Bush. He gets a $145 (he's single. makes $10. hr.) refund from federal and has to pay $45 in state taxes (we now have a Dem tax-happy governor in AZ), so obviously it's Bush's fault. He doesn't have enough ambition to get a higher paying job. It must be Bush's fault. Of course he had to say Bush was a moron for how he pronounces nuclear. My son says I pronounce wash, like woosh. I have often wanted to ask this dimwit if I am a moron too, since I have been known to pronounce words differently.

[familyofman]

"Mr. Berg leaves posts on this web site:
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/"

So???

[HostileTerritory]

Highly unlikely, if this man was travelling to Arab countries like Jordan.

Nah, as an American you have as much freedom as a Jew as you would as a Christian. Jordan is a relatively pro-American country for the region and wouldn't discriminate. Based on his family's names and that they're from the Philly area I would say that he was almost certainly Jewish by birth, although he may well have drifted from that as an adult. Being Jewish myself, I would be extremely wary of going to Iraq, but the occupation is a burden to be shared by all Americans regardless of our religion.

[OldFriend]

It hurts to read the mean comments towards the father. I can hardly see thru my tears since the media felt it needed to read the description of his death.

[Rabid Dog]

I thought it was rather odd that he didn't want it to be public knowledge that his son was beheaded - almost like he was protecting the perps.

If it was my son, I would be shouting from the rooftops - "Look what those barbarians did to my child".

[Howlin]

He's not 'just a Quaker' who is anti-war. He's active in the work of A.N.S.W.E.R.

[Petronski]

I stand by my comments. If you are offended, that is your business.