Posted on 05/23/2005 7:22:27 PM PDT by zahal724
Iraq's al-Qaida frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed his group executed an American pilot, but personal ID posted on the Internet indicates the terrorists may have mistaken a frequent-flier card for a flying license, according to an intelligence analyst.
The statement on the jihadi site, posted along with photos of the personal documents, showed the purported victim as Neenus Y. Khoshaba, a U.S. national born in 1948, said Laura Mansfield of the Northeast Intelligence Network.
The terrorists' statement said: "Your brothers in al-Qaida in the Land of Two Rivers got their hands on a U.S. pilot who turned out to have bombarded several mosques and the Sheraton Hotel in Baghdad during the invasion of Iraq, as well as several civilian homes."
The identity cards shown were an Illinois driver's license, a health insurance card, a frequent-guest card for a hotel chain and a membership card for the Executive Club of British Airways, a frequent-flier program.
"Apparently the jihadis interpreted the frequent-flier card and the British Airways Club card as evidence that the hostage was a pilot," said Mansfield.
In addition, the U.S. military has denied it is missing any of its servicemen.
Mansfield said a quick Web search in both English and Arabic shows Khoshaba was an Iraqi who immigrated to the U.S. then returned to Iraq in 2003 to help rebuild the country.
The Baghdad Bazaar website describes Khoshaba's company as "active in Wood Household Furniture, Upholstered; Hardwood Veneer And Plywood."
A high-ranking official with Iraq's Assyrian Democratic party told Agence France-Presse that Khoshaba is a U.S.-Iraqi businessman from an Assyrian family who was kidnapped Wednesday.
"I can't confirm his death but I can identify the hostage," the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said Khoshaba was based in Chicago and moved back to Iraq in 2003.
"He was apparently tricked by a group of people posing as representatives from the oil ministry, who told him that they were looking for someone with a dual nationality and had business opportunities to offer him," the official said. "There had been no word from him since."
A translation of the Internet posting by Zarqawi's group says:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the reward for the pious; no aggression except on the transgressors; and prayers and greetings to the iman of the mujahideen, our prophet Mohamed; and to his family and his companions. Your brothers in al-Qaida in the Land of Two Rivers got their hands on a U.S. pilot who turned out to have bombarded several mosques and the Sheraton hotel in Baghdad during the invasion of Iraq, as well as several civilian homes.
After concluding the investigation of this unbeliever, the execution of the command of Allah took place, Glory be to Him. Allah triumphs in all, but most people are not aware.
This is but one of many arrows in our quiver to use against all who injure the Muslims and we will show them to the extent of our power and ability how they displease Allah.
And your brothers in the al-Qaida Network in Mesopotamia will continue in their fight against the unbelievers and the apostates until the word of God rules over all the countries and their people.
Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest! Honor be to Allah and to his messenger and to the mujahideen.
Murderous, lying dumbasses.
Bad enough that they are such murderous lying villainous scumbags, but that they are such IMBECILES as well.... it's just more than I can bear.
Never trust a babelfish translation.
Murdering bastards.
That back-asswards bunch of bumpkins slaughtered a frequent flyer. Their mothers must be soooo proud.
I've got a Southwest FF card. When do I get to fly the plane?
Beyond stupid. More of them need to be removed, like warts.
ping, read this
I don't think this was a mix up. I believe that they knew who they had but are trying to spin it to their advantage. This is a desperate attempt at propoganda, to show their following that they still have the mojo against Americans.
First GI Joe, now this.
This is why they should be tortured until they give all the information on the rest of their organization are arrested/killed/neutralized. They are NOT human beings, but monsters that would kill you or your kids without compassion.
I wonder if its the British GI Joe they caught?
Did you see this??? This is unreal...
Ping.
Nice work from Laura, as usual......
Thank you.
Fcukin stupid savages!
But media think he is a pilot .
.......yeah, yeah..........blow it out yer ass.
"Their mothers must be soooo proud."
Except that a garbage truck driver winked at his mom so he had to kill her.
Media think anything terrorists tell them.
Sickening! If we don't destroy these fanatics, they will destroy us.
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