Posted on 03/23/2006 7:20:10 PM PST by 1066AD
SAS moved at dawn as prisoner cracked By Oliver Poole in Basra (Filed: 24/03/2006)
When it received confirmation of where Norman Kember was being held, the SAS's Black unit, the specialist hostage release team stationed near the British embassy in the Baghdad Green Zone, was already in full kit and ready to move.
The team is under orders to keep men on full alert at all times. But the previous evening's arrest of an Iraqi believed to know the whereabouts of the three peace activists meant they had already joined the Americans and Canadians who would help conduct the operation.
Freed: Norman Kember The Iraqi prisoner had cracked in the early hours and provided details of an area and a house.
Speed was essential in case the information proved old by the time the rescue unit arrived. The operation was put together in three hours, said the Americans.
By first light, they were in position at the building a few miles from the north-western edge of Baghdad.
Details of what happened next are limited, kept back so that kidnappers do not know the tactics adopted by the SAS and similar units, thereby hampering future operations.
But it is certain that aircraft beamed pictures back to the operations centre where commanders gave the order to go.
The SAS led the assault, bursting through the front door and windows at the back and sides. Together in a single room were the three handcuffed hostages. There was no sign of the kidnappers.
All were bundled outside while others in the assault team scoured the area for the hostage-takers. As the hunt continued, the victims were moved from the area - alive and with their 118 days in captivity finally over.
Hostage releases in Baghdad have sometimes been accompanied by reports of money being paid, with the troops going in to disguise a shabby deal. But an insider insisted this kidnapping was ended thanks to intelligence.
The Americans said it was the arrest of the Iraqi on Wednesday evening that provided the key information allowing their rescue. But everyone involved stressed that this was the culmination of hundreds of hours of detective work as thousands of tips, details from intelligence sources and aerial photographs were analysed.
In every such case there needs to be a break in order to put that information together and this time it came in a particularly tragic and unwanted way when the corpse of Tom Fox, the fourth member of the Christian Peacemakers team taken in November, was found two weeks ago.
An examination of his body led investigators to conclude that he had not been executed, as had been thought. There was no shot to the head as is usual in Iraqi executions.
Instead three bullet wounds were found in his arm and three in his chest. The bruising thought to be signs of torture was instead seen as evidence of a struggle.
Investigators concluded the kidnappers had not killed him simply because he was American. He had been killed possibly while trying to escape - which would explain the lack of a video of his murder that would usually accompanies a politically-motivated killing.
The kidnappers appeared to have lost control of the situation, and their unintended act had led to new leads. By last weekend hopes of a possible rescue were increasing.
Those close to the investigation insist no deals were made, not least because the kidnappers knew Britain's public refusal to pay meant they would view any approach as a potential ruse and this would put the hostages' lives in danger.
Instead they believe that the speed of the operation alerted the kidnappers of their approach, as there was no time for the normal surveillance procedures. Ideally a 24-hour watch would have been mounted. Alternatively the previous evening's arrests could have shown those who held the men how close their pursuers were.
But the knowledge that the kidnappers had slipped the net tempered the delight at yesterday's rescue.
Not only does it leave them free to strike again but it also reduces the chance of gaining information on the seven other Westerners still held hostage. The rescue could provoke a revenge beheading of one of those seven.
Interesting headline.
I wonder how he cracked?
Maybe they showed him a picture of Hellen Thomas. Oh the humanity...
If they can see thru their self-righteous haze, maybe they will repent of their ways.
But I doubt it.
Well I know one thing, if the terrorist who cracked was in ANY way denied any of his rights or dignity, the hostages MUST be given back to their captors.
This shameful prisoner abuse by Bush and the US military MUST end.
What a thoroughly irresponsible and despicable way for him to end his article.
Yup, once they realize they were rescued by the wrong methods, they will voluntarily return to captivity.
"You cracked me just to save those whiners?"
to bad they didn't wait for the enemy to show up. Now they will have to do this all over again as soon as the terrorist kidnap someone else.
Someone should ask Danny Pearl's widow her opinion about a rescue like this one...
Last I heard, Danny Pearl's widow was dating Eason Jordan, the former CNN honcho who admitted that the network knew about Saddam's tortures, but kept quiet so as to keep their access. An interesting woman, to say the least.
They threatened to turn him over to Jack Bauer.
"They threatened to turn him over to Jack Bauer.'
More like "They threatened to turn him over to Helen Thomas."
When he was four, Jack Bauer's parents scolded him once.
In turn, he frightened them so badly, they ran off and hid in the witness protection plan.
Yet still the a-holes of the supposed "Christian" organization to which they belong blame the "occupiers" for their compadres being kidnapped in the first place. Ingrates/traitors.
when they shoved some holy book up his, her, or it's...he, her, or it cracked, and the peaceniks were simultaneously pissed and pleased.
That would violate all norms of civilized conduct;)
ping
Has any one seen Lyndie England lately? Coincidence?
Am I to take it that Jack Bauer is the new Chuck Norris?
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