Posted on 10/11/2010 11:14:37 AM PDT by darkside321
British aid worker Linda Norgrove may have been accidentally killed by US forces during a rescue mission in Afghanistan, David Cameron has said.
International forces originally said she died on Friday when one of her captors detonated a suicide vest.
But the prime minister said new details had come to light suggesting her death may have resulted from a US grenade.
Mr Cameron said he had spoken to her family about the "deeply distressing" news.
Continue reading the main story Related stories Cameron statement on Afghan death Hostage rescuers 'ignored Afghan advice' Timeline: UK hostage rescue bid Ms Norgrove, 36, who was employed by US aid group DAI, was seized in the Dewagal valley in the Kunar province on 26 September.
Three local staff were kidnapped with her when the two cars they were travelling in were ambushed. The staff were released unharmed last week.
It had been thought that she was killed by her abductors just as US forces reached the compound in which she was being held.
But Mr Cameron said Gen David Petraeus, the top allied commander in Afghanistan, had telephoned him on Monday morning to say she could have died as a result of a grenade detonated by the taskforce during the assault. He said the general had told him US forces were deeply dismayed at the outcome.
And he added that it was "deeply regrettable" that information published on Saturday about Ms Norgrove was highly likely to have been incorrect.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Nicholas Witchell in Kabul said British officials there were " utterly dismayed and dumbfounded".
He said the situation affected the credibility of the Americans...
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Sad if true,,,, but still, sometimes,,it’s just not your day.
Sad if true,,,, but still, sometimes,,it’s just not your day.
Not much point in a rescue if you have to blow up the hostage.
But I guess I haven't followed it too closely.
I agree. Very sad for the family but happens.
Well, in any event, that crew will not be taking any more hostages.
The buck stops where? Reminds me of disabled helos in the ME desert.
when it’s an attempt to rescue hostages, there’s never a guarantee it was be a complete success. they made the attempt because they knew where she was and had reason to believe she would be killed at any time. sad.
I thought it was a NATO rescue operation...
Tragic. The only thing that would be more tragic is if one of our boys died. It’s a war zone, and the safety of jouranlists should not be our military’s problem.
The f***ing psychos who kidnapped are the ones responsible. To hell with these media clowns and their incessant second guessing.
But its just the kind of sh*t the BBC would love to put out there, true or not.
well there’s some good news — six dead terrorist vermin and no casualties in the rescue team
terrible shame the hostage could not be saved, but sometimes we have to take the best shot available and there are no guarantees in that business
at least 6 Talinazis will not be taking any more hostages or setting any roadside bombs etc.
when it’s an attempt to rescue hostages, there’s never a guarantee it was be a complete success. they made the attempt because they knew where she was and had reason to believe she would be killed at any time. sad.
It doesn’t matter if it was a US grenade or not, the only reason she is dead is because of the terrorist SOBS who kidnapped her. THEY are the killers, not the US.
$h!t happens...Unfortunately.
If the US military had not come out quickly and said what they did - the international left wing blame America first media would have been blaming US soldiers 24-7 since the event.
Apparently - fromthe article - they can’t tell cause of death - whcih means the vest was detonated. So - whether or not she got hit with grenade before or after - and whether or not the grenade was fatal - it is moot.
They animals exploded the vest.
The Brits of course are blaming our SpecOp guys instead of the Taliban who had kidnapped Norgrove and was undoubtedly going to behead her.
It's a tragic part of war, especially against murderous fanatics like the Taliban, but Norgrove understood the risks when she traveled to Afghanistan and began working directly with the locals out in "Indian country."
The Brits need to understand this and lay off our guys, who put their butts on the line for Norgrove and are feeling pretty bad about the outcome.
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