Robert A. Levinson.

Here's where they say he went:

He was visiting Kish Island, an Iranian resort and free-trade zone off the southwest coast that does not require a visa to visit. He had traveled to Iran from the United Arab Emirates, U.S. officials said.

So he wasn't necessarily traveling in Iran proper. Here's what they say he was doing there:

The State Department said Levinson was going to meet someone to set up an interview or interviews for a project involving a book and a documentary by an independent producer and author believed to be from Canada, U.S. officials said. He was doing legwork for what a senior U.S. official described as an "innocuous" project that "had no connection with anything political." The official added: "The guy was on a perfectly harmless private activity." But he also may have been doing some work for his own consulting business, U.S. officials said.

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UPDATE:

Click the image for video

"I urge the German people to help me in my difficult situation," said Krause, according to an Arabic translation of her comments, only part of which could be heard.

"Germany was safe before it got involved in this satanic coalition with America against what they call terrorism," said Krause, shown sitting on the ground next to her son.

A militant speaking on the video but out of sight said: "We are giving the German government another 10 days to begin withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan or we shall kill this criminal woman and her son who works in the Foreign Ministry of the government of (Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-) Maliki".

DUBAI, April 3 (Reuters) - An Iraqi group holding a German woman and her son hostage said it was giving Germany 10 days to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, according to a statement posted on the Internet on Tuesday.

The Arrows of Righteousness group also posted a video showing Hannelore Marianne Krause urging Germany to heed the demands of the militants. The group had issued its first ultimatum on March 10, saying it would kill the pair if Berlin failed to pull out its troops in 10 days.

Update: More Frames as well as a translation of the tape, below the fold. more...

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Previous:
Iran Claims All 15 Hostages "Confess"

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The endless liberal passion play continues unabated:

RELEASE THE PRISONERS!! FULL RIGHTS!! US CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR ENEMY COMBATANTS FROM ANY COUNTRY! IMPEACH THE LEADERSHIP! FREE THE DETAINEES!! DOWN WITH AMERI...huh?

Iran is violating the Geneva Conventions?

Oh...uh...I have to go now.

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Paul Reuben

Josh Munns

Bert Nussbaumer


Jon Cote

John Young

These are the 5 contractors employed by Crescent Security Group who were kidnapped near Basra in November 2006, as seen in a hostage video released in January of this year. There has been no word on them since. But now there is new hope that their ordeal may be ending soon.

As I wrote in December 2006, a Minnesota businessman, Mark Koscielski, who is a friend of Paul Reuben, has been raising money to pay the $150,000 ransom demanded for the 4 Americans and 1 Austrian. Thousands of people have bought t-shirts and donated to the ransom fund. On Friday, Mark will arrive in Kuwait in hopes of paying the ransom and bringing the captives home.

I spoke with Mark earlier this week about his planned trip. He is optimistic about his chances of winning freedom for the contractors, who were abducted when their convoy was hijacked at a fake checkpoint. He says the kidnapping was not politically motivated, but a simple extortion scheme. He stresses that he has no ties to the American or Austrian governments, and that he is acting on behalf of the families who have waited for 5 months to have their loved ones return.

While some may question the wisdom of paying ransom to extortionists, let's pray for the success of this mission. It would be wonderful to see them home for Easter. Please remember Mark and the 5 men in your prayers, especially on Friday. more...

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The winter look, all Mullah, all trashed by the critics:

With sales plummeting, Ayatollah Khamenei goes with the sure winner, Palestinian Oppression!

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Hey, Rosie, Archduke Ferdinand, Google it.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's foreign minister said Wednesday that Britain must admit that its 15 sailors and marines entered Iranian waters in order to resolve a standoff over their capture by Iranian authorities.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki's announcement came on a day of escalating tensions, highlighted by an Iranian video of the detained Britons that showed the only woman captive saying her group had "trespassed" in Iranian waters. Britain angrily denounced the video as unacceptable and froze most dealings with the mideast nation.

"First they have to admit that they have made a mistake. Admitting the mistake will facilitate a solution to the problem," Mottaki told The Associated Press in an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "But unfortunately the British have not admitted their mistake."

Mottaki also backed off a prediction that the female sailor, Faye Turney, could be freed Wednesday or Thursday, but said Tehran agreed to allow British officials to meet with service personnel.

Exit question: While everyone is focused on this crisis, what is Iran doing that's off the radar, so to speak? I smell....diversion.

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Full video of Iranian state television's broadcast of British hostage Faye Turney and her "confession".

Where are the human rights organizations for this intentional breaking of the Geneva Conventions which explicitly forbid this kind of public display of P.O.W.'s?

Here is the text of the letter, allegedly written by Faye Turney:

Dear Mum & Dad,

I am writing to you from Iran where I am being held.

I will try to explain to you the best what has happened.

We were out in the boats when we were arrested by Iranian forces, as we had apparently gone into Iranian waters.

I wish we hadn't because then I'd be home with you all right now.

I am so sorry we did because I know we wouldn't be here now if we hadn't.

I want you all to know that I am well and safe.

I am being well looked after. I am fed three meals a day and have a constant supply of fluids.

The people are friendly and hospitable, very compassionate and warm.

I have written a letter to the Iranian people to apologise for us entering into their waters.

Please don't worry about me, I am staying strong.

Hopefully it won't be long until I am home to get ready for Molly's birthday party with a present from the Iranian people.

Look after everyone for me, especially Adam and Molly.

I love you all more than you will ever know.

All my love,

Faye

UPDATE: Brits governement reacts to video:

Britain called the broadcast "completely unacceptable" and said it was concerned that the statements from sailor Faye Turney were coerced. The British government earlier released what it called proof the boat crews were seized in Iraqi waters, and said it was freezing all contacts with Iran except negotiations to release them....

Before the video was broadcast, a Blair spokesman said any showing of British personnel on TV would be a breach of the Geneva Conventions.

"It's completely unacceptable for these pictures to be shown on television," the Foreign Office said after the broadcast. "There is no doubt our personnel were seized in Iraqi territorial waters."...

The Foreign Office said it had "grave concerns" about Turney's state of mind when she spoke on video.

"I am very concerned about these pictures and any indication of pressure on or coercion of our personnel," said Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett. She added that Britain had "comprehensively demonstrated today that our personnel were operating inside Iraqi territorial waters."

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Via Monters and Critics:

Rome - The Taliban have freed an Italian journalist held by the insurgents since March 4, the Italian government said Monday, confirming earlier reports out of Kabul.

'Daniele Mastrogiacomo has been freed and is in good condition,' Prime Minister Romano Prodi said in Rome.

Prodi said Mastrogiacomo was currently in a hospital run by Emergency, an Italian non-governmental organization, and that he expected him to return to Italy 'within a few days.'

The premier was speaking just minutes after the publication of a report by the Pajhwok Afghan News, which quoted a Taliban commander as saying Mastrogiacomo had been handed over to Italian officials in Afghanistan in exchange for the release of five Taliban prisoners.

So the reporter got his story. It only cost the release of five terrorists and his driver's life. Some bargain, I hope it was worth it.

More information here.

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Via Vicki at Not Ready for my Burqua:

ROME - One of two Afghan nationals kidnapped with Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo in Afghanistan last week has been killed, Italy’s ANSA news agency said on Friday, quoting a Taleban fighter.

‘His throat was slit at 7 a.m. because he was confirmed to be a spy for foreign military forces,’ ANSA quoted Ibrahim Hanifi as saying. The dead man is believed to have been Mastrogiacomo’s driver.

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The Taliban have been holding Daniele Mastrogiacomo and two others. They claim that he confessed to spying and they found “lasers in his shampoo.” The Taliban have threatened to Murder Mr. Mastrogiacomo. A videotape was sent to his paper today through an Italian NGO. The tape was made Monday the 12th. This is probably a “proof of life” statement in an attempt to gain the release of four of their members. Probably some ransom as well.

The paper has released one still and a transcript of his statement. The statement by the terrorists is here. The tape has not been been made public.

Via La Repubblica: "My name is Daniele Mastrogiacomo, I'm a journalist for la Repubblica newspaper. I'm here in Afghanistan. My father's name is Mario, my mother's name is Franca Lisa. Today is Monday, March 12th and it's 8 o'clock a.m., here in Afghanistan".

"As you can see, I'm in good physical condition... at least.... However I'm alive, luckily, until now".

"I'm under detention... I've been arrested by a taliban group. They believe that we (myself and two other afghan colleagues) have entered illegaly into their territory. So, now I'm addressing the italian government and mr. president Romano Prodi, in order to ask them to do everything in their power, to act with all their means in order to obtain our freedom as soon as possible... so that we should no longer be in this situation... in a word... that we be released...".

"I'm also speaking to my wife Luisella and my daughter and son Alice and Michele: be calm, there's no problem. You'll see that your father will be able to work it out, anyway. I believe this is a situation... they arrested me because I was in taliban territory. I think they will soon release me. Obviously you have to be just a little patient. And I'm sure you are all with me. Thank you for all you're trying to do for me. Thank you".

Update: The video has been uploaded to youtube.

Update II: In a new audio message recieved today Mr. Mastrogiacomo is begging for his life. He says the Taliban have given two days before they will murder him.

Via IOL: Kabul - An Italian journalist abducted in Afghanistan 10 days ago has appealed to authorities to meet his kidnappers' demands, warning he would otherwise be executed in two days, an Afghan news agency said on Thursday.

"After that they will kill us," a voice said to be that of Daniele Mastrogiacomo said in English in a compact disc recording obtained by Reuters from the Pajhwok agency. "There are only two days. Please. Please."

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Good news:

AP via Yahoo News: LONDON - Five Europeans abducted almost two weeks ago in one of Ethiopia's most remote and inhospitable regions were released Tuesday in neighboring Eritrea after the government there pressured tribal leaders to intervene, officials said. British officials would not say whether a ransom had been paid....

....Beckett said officials "continue to be concerned for the welfare" of eight Ethiopians abducted at the same time.

She would not say whether ransom was paid in return for the European hostages' release. "I can't tell you that and I'm not sure I would, actually," Beckett said.

We also pray for the release of the eight Ethiopians still held captive.

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A couple updates to this story. La Repubblica has denied any spying. The Taliban now claim the reporter had lasers in his Shampoo. They say if he can prove he is not a spy they will release him. But they also say he has already confessed. As Rusty said in his previous entry, “When Islamists accuse a hostage of spying, it is usually a prelude to his murder.”

Reuters: ROME, March 7 (Reuters) - Italian newspaper La Repubblica has denied that one of its journalists who was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan was a spy.
A Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday that Daniele Mastrogiacomo, 52, had confessed to spying for British troops after being picked up in the lawless Helmand province.

"He has no relationship whatsoever either with military organisations nor with police or intelligence services of any kind or country," Ezio Mauro, the paper's editor-in-chief, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Agence France Presse news agency said on Wednesday it received a voice recording of a man claiming to be top Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah, who said the reporter and two Afghans accompanying him had confessed to seeking information on the guerrilla group's hideouts to provide to British troops.

SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The Taliban said on Friday they would free kidnapped Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo if he could prove he was not a spy.

Khan said the Taliban had recovered a video camera, a satellite phone and "lasers in shampoo bottles" that could help in air strikes on the Taliban positions. Air strikes are often guided by lasers from troops on the ground.

"We're investigating if the journalist Daniele was involved in bringing lasers in shampoo bottles," he added.

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A group of Islamic terrorists calling themselves the Arrows of Right Brigade has released a video threatenting to murder and old woman and her son if Germany does not withdraw it's support for NATO forces in Afghanistan.

(Click the image for Video)

The video can be downloaded at from Laura's site here.

Thanks to Laura Mansfield for sharing a translation of the video. It begins...

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Update: Sorry, I accidentally uploaded the wrong video. The first video posted is a threat against Germany as well. See this entry at Site Institute.

The Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), in collaboration with the al-Firdaws Network, issued to jihadist forums a 6:09 video through the Caliphate Voice Channel today, March 10, 2007, calling upon the governments of Germany and Austria to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan and cease support for the U.S. and NATO.

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Taliban terrorists have kidnapped an Italian journalist in Afghanistan and have charged him with "spying for the British". The Taliban claim to be holding two other hostage as well. Still, it's reassuring to know that the British newspaper, The Telegraph, finds it convenient to call the Taliban "guerrillas".

When organizations capture and then murder hostages, they cease to be within the normal bounds of civilized behavior. You don't have to call them terrorists, but something along those lines---barbaric pricks in need of immediate life termination---will do.

The journalist's kidnapping comes on the heels of a large-scale military offensive in Afghanistan, Operation Achilles.

The Telegraph:

The Taliban says it has kidnapped an Italian journalist who it claimed was spying for British troops in southern Afghanistan, along with two Afghan colleagues.

Guerrilla spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf said the reporter worked for La Repubblica.

Speaking by satellite phone from an undisclosed location, he said the reporter had confessed to spying after being picked up in neighbouring Helmand province yesterday.

He added: "He was pretending to be a journalist, but when we investigated we found he's working for the British troops.

"We're interrogating him and the other two."

"We have not heard from him since Sunday, he was in Kandahar on assignment," said the paper's editor-in-chief, Ezio Mauro, according to La Repubblica's Web site. Kandahar is the Taliban's former stronghold in the country's volatile south.....

La Repubblica newspaper said Mastrogiacomo, 52, was born in Karachi, Pakistan, where his father was an engineer for an Italian company. He has dual Italian-Swiss citizenship, but was traveling only with his Italian passport, the paper said.

Mastrogiacomo has worked since 2002 as a staff correspondent in Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and Iraq.

The most troubling aspect of the story is the claim by the Taliban that Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo is "spying" for the British. The area he was captured in has a large British contingent, but when Islamists accuse a hostage of "spying" it is usually a prelude to his murder.

The Committee to Protect Journalists notes:

Initial reports of a journalist’s abduction included conflicting information. In Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman told AP that the group had detained an unnamed Briton and two Afghan assistants in Helmand province. The spokesman said the Briton claimed to work for La Repubblica, but the paper told CPJ that only Mastrogiacomo was missing.....

[the good news] On November 3, Gabriele Torsello, an Italian freelance photographer who had been held for ransom for more than three weeks by a criminal group in Kandahar, was released unharmed.

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The first two released hostages stories were only picked up by CBS and Daily News Analysis.

Via CBSNEWS: Lt. Col. Valery Keaveny described breaking through a double-locked door to find an Iraqi police officer and another Iraqi man who had undergone "considerable torture." The policeman had been shot in both ankles and the other man had been dangling from the ceiling and "beaten severely by a pipe for a good deal of time," Keaveny told reporters.

The captives told U.S. soldiers they had been convicted to death by an insurgent court at the site _ about 18 miles west of Baghdad near the village of Karmah _ and had the choice of either beheading or a fatal gunshot, said Keaveny.

They were spared immediate death, Keaveny said, because the insurgents' video camera didn't work and they had gone to get a new one to film the executions. "(The insurgents) said they would be back in the morning," he said. "And that's when we came in, that night."

The two men were taken by U.S. forces for medical treatment.

The site also contained a huge stockpile of more than 1 million pounds of aluminum sulfate, which can be used as a component in nitrate-based fertilizer explosives.

Via DNA: "We have also arrested the most dangerous man in northern Iraq, Fuad Ahmed al-Mufraji, who is responsible for a number of assassinations," said Khalaf, adding he was captured near Tikrit, 180 kilometres north of the capital, also on Monday.

Four other hostages were freed as well, Via Centcom:

3/4/2007 BAGHDAD, IRAQ – An assessment performed by Coalition Forces following an air strike in Arab Jabour on Saturday led to the rescue of four Iraqi citizens and the uncovering of a terrorist weapons cache today.

Four Iraqi citizens were liberated from a building near the site of yesterday’s air strike. According to one of the liberated hostages, the terrorists holding them captive fled immediately after the air strike. All four hostages were treated on site for various injuries. One of the hostages said he had been held captive for 50 days.

At the site of the air strike, Ground forces also found remnants of an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun known as a DShK and multiple rocket propelled grenades and grenade launchers. Additionally, a DShK Tripod was found dug in the ground along the Tigris River with spent ammunition cartridges.

Coalition Forces called in the air strike yesterday after they began receiving small arms fire from several armed men across the Tigris River and were unable to safely subdue enemy fire.

Coalition Forces used two precision guided bombs in the strike destroying a small structure and killing seven terrorists hiding inside. A large secondary explosion was noted after the initial bombs were dropped on the target, indicating the presence of explosive material within the structure.

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In this video, a British Muslim cleric discusses the beheading murder of Ken Bigley. He justifies Bigley's murder as an act of war, even though Ken Bigley was being held hostage at the time. Ironically, Bigley's murder was said to be in retaliation for the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Abusing Muslim prisoners=bad; beheading infidel hostages=not bad.

Kenneth Bigley was in Iraq as a civilian engineer when he was captured by Abu Musab al Zarqawi's "Tawhid wal Jihad", later changed to "al Qaeda in Iraq". Several hostage propaganda videos were released in which Bigley was seen wearing the orange jumpsuit of Abu Ghraib and in which he made demands on the the Blair government for his release. In his last video, Kenneth Bigley is seen making more demands on Tony Blair and seems to be unaware that the man standing behind him, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, is about to murder him.

UPDATE: Jeremy Reynalds identifies the man as Abdul Rahman Saleem. Where have you heard that name before? He is the follower of Omar Bakri Mohammed who was put on trial for his part in the Mohammed cartoon protests when he advocated murdering blasphemers. He pleaded not guilty, of course.

We are not sure the name of the person justifying the murder of Ken Bigley, but another video, recorded at the same time, shows that just to the speaker's left sits a more familiar character: Abu Izzadeen. The speaker, then, is most likely a follower of Omar Bakri Mohammed.

Izzadeen is under indictment in the U.K. for inciting terrorism, but as far as we can tell the speaker in this video is walking around the streets of London or Birmingham inciting more Muslims to commit acts of murder, terrorism, or treason. Bakri Mohammed's followers in Britain unanimously support recruiting for jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes, they want British Muslims to fight British troops--the very definition of treason.

In the video, the speaker justifies Kenneth Bigley's murder on the grounds that Bigley was in Iraq to help fix military hardware which would then be used to "kill Muslims". This is not true. Kenneth Bigley, Jack Hensley, and Eugene Armstrong were in Iraq to work on civilian reconstruction efforts. They were there helping Muslims. It is al Qaeda in Iraq that continues to murder Muslims to this day.

The speaker then says Bigley was in Iraq to "steal the money of the Muslims". Which, of course, is also patently untrue. Ken Bigley was being paid by the U.S. government to help the Iraqis rebuild their country so that Muslims in Iraq would have a functioning economy so that they could earn money for themselves. It is those that murdered Ken Bigley that steal money from Muslims by blowing up Iraq's infrastructure.

The speaker, in what seems to be a bit of "humor", warns that people involved in the reconstruction effort--or, as he deems it, "stealing from Muslims"---should "mind your head". No doubt, a reference to the dozens of civilians beheaded by al Qaeda and other jihadi groups in Iraq.

Last, even though Bigley "converted" to Islam at the point of a knife, the speaker reiterates that since Islam forbids forced conversions, then Bigley must have become a Muslim of his own free will. See if you follow that sick and twisted logic? And if that is the case, even though the speaker does not say it in this video, those listening would undoubtedly understand another reason why his murder was "justified". To the Salafi jihadi mind, Muslims helping the U.S. and U.K. in Iraq are "traitors".

To get some ideas for yourself on how you can help, see Jeremy Reynald's book: Fighting the Online Jihad.

The video is below. If you saw the video of Kenneth Bigley being murdered, you might want to remove any objects from your reach that can be thrown at your computer. more...

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A video showing the murder of eighteen captured Iraqi soldiers and other Ministry of Defense workers was posted by al Qaeda to the internet yesterday. The video is posted below (scroll down).

Actually, they are murdered by The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI)--but calling them "al Qaeda" seems to bother ISI leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi (who may have been captured over the weekend--fingers crossed). And if I can't personally kill al-Baghdadi or al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Masri (aka, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir), then annoying them will have to suffice.

As Kafir noted on Saturday, an image from the video had been posted with a warning that the video would be forthcoming. Vicki, from Not Ready for My Burqua notes that the al Qaeda in Iraq Emir warns:

This operation is only a drop in the bucket, and what will come is more wicked and bitter, with the permission of Allah the Almighty.

SITE notes that the Islamic State in Iraq claimed the kidnapping and subsequent murders of the hostages:

to be primarily in response to the rape accusations of a Sunni woman, Sabrin al-Janabi, towards Shi’ite security forces....

The video opens with footage of the men blindfolded and sitting in rows, and a message is shown on-screen that is also dictated. Its words are similar to those of the two prior statements, but add that the Mujahideen rose to action after the appeal of the Emir of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, which he presented in an audio message addressing Sabrin.

Following the message, a number of the captured men, blindfolded and bound, are shown shot repeatedly with pistols by the masked Mujahideen.

Also, the Islamic State of Iraq issued a statement today indicating that fourteen other employees of the Ministry of Interior were captured on Thursday, March 1, and “Allah’s Orders” were also executed upon them.

These murderers are not freedom fighters or Minutemen, as Michael Moore so famously declared. This is what they do to fellow Muslims they consider traitors, and we know what they do to infidels. I guess we're too civilized for the old heads-on-pikes treatment, so I imagine we'll be seeing more of these videos before we finally wipe out this den of vipers.

WARNING: Graphic images and video below. more...

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So far, it seems to be a bad week for French nationals abroad. Four French were murdered in Saudi Arabia, three French were killed in Brazil and now 10 French have allegedly been kidnapped in Ethiopia. To make matters worse, it also appears that some British citizens were taken along with the French.

Ten French tourists were kidnapped in northern Ethiopia today by unknown people, a businessman and a tour operator who work in the region said.

The tourists were in a convoy of four vehicles in Dalol, 800 kilometres north-east of Addis Ababa, travelling to salt mines in the Afar region when they were kidnapped, said the businessman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Unfortunately, the location of the alleged kidnappings is quite remote and in difficult terrain so it may take time to sort out the entire story. A rebel group, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (Arduf), is known to operate in the area and it may be responsible for the kidnappings.

No official confirmation of the kidnappings has been reported by Ethiopian authorities. Tony Blair, however, has been informed and is waiting for details.

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If you think U.S. troops freeing hostages in Iraq would be front page news, you'd be wrong. If you think it would merit at least a backpage story at any of the nation's large newspapers, you'd also be wrong. How about a mention? Like, three or four paragraphs down in any of the hundreds of stories about Iraq run on a given day? Nope. Just us and one other minor Google News source that ran this CENTCOM press release, let alone mentioned the heroic deed done by our nation's finest.

Q:How come the NY Times & Washington Post editorial staff gets to decide what really matters in Iraq, but that courtesy is not extended the United States Central Command? Because, last time I checked, precisely zero editors for our flagship publications--and less than half a dozen actual reporters--were on the ground in Iraq, while at least 130,000 boots belonging to CENTCOM were.

KALSU, Iraq - Dismounted paratroopers located an insurgent safe house uncovering a weapons cache and freeing two hostages south of Baghdad Feb. 26.

Paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division located the safe house, where they found the two hostages and a weapons cache near Mahmudiyah.

The cache contained three AK-47s, 14 30-round magazines, one 100-round magazine drum, two fragmentary grenades, one cell phone and one hand held radio.

The freed hostages were given immediate medical treatment. (Source: CENTCOM)

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Via Breitbart by way of no-linky Drudge:

NABLUS, West Bank (AP) -- Three American women seen taking photos near a West Bank refugee were kidnapped on Tuesday, Palestinian security officials said. There was no claim of responsibility by an armed Palestinian group, but a man calling himself Hadi Saud contacted The Associated Press in Nablus and said he was the kidnapper.

He demanded a job in the Palestinian security forces and medication for a shooting injury sustained last year, in exchange for releasing the hostages. He provided no proof that he is holding the women.

As they say, developing...

Sigh of relief:

NABLUS, West Bank - Three American women were briefly kidnapped Tuesday in the
West Bank city of Nablus and were released later in the evening, Palestinian security officials said.

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A video posted on a Shiite Islamist website has emerged of an American soldier, Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie, being held hostage. The Jawa Report has obtained the ORIGINAL copy of the video. It is posted below.

Right after Altaie was captured by forces allegedly tied to the Mahdi Army, a relative contacted The Jawa Report. I won't identify her out of respect for what she is going through, but she was depressed that the media had written her relative off and wrote to ask if we really believed he was still alive. I'm very glad that he is.

Altaie was born in Iraq but immigrated to the United States. Even though he was much older than the average U.S. serviceman, he volunteered right after the Iraq war broke out. He felt it was his duty to help the effort and his native language skills were much needed. Not only that, but here was a chance to serve both his adopted country and the country of his birth.

We pray for his safe and immediate release.

AP:

A Shiite militant group has issued a video of an Iraqi-American soldier who was kidnapped nearly four months ago while visiting his wife in downtown Baghdad, a U.S. television network reported Wednesday.

The U.S. government has offered a $50,000 reward leading to the recovery of Iraqi-born American Army translator Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie, a 41-year-old reserve soldier from Ann Arbor, Mich., who was abducted by gunmen on Oct. 23.

The video was broadcast by CNN and it was unclear when it was made. Al-Taayie's uncle identified him from the video, the network said. The video did not immediately turn up in an Associated Press search of militant Web sites.

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, chief U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said officials were aware of the video and were analyzing a copy of it to ascertain its authenticity.

A huge search operation turned up no solid leads to the fate of al-Taayie, who was visiting his Iraqi wife when he was handcuffed and taken away by gunmen during a visit to the woman's family.

Al-Taayie's uncle, Entifadh Qanbar, said at the time that he believed his nephew's abductors belong to a "well-organized" rogue cell from the Shiite Mahdi Army militia of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

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Some of you may remember, a German archaeologists held hostage briefly in Iraq. She was released amongst a number of rumors that ransom had been paid. There was even some indication that she had collaborated with her hostage takers, because some of the marked money was allegedly found on her after she was free. Now, more indication that she may have been complicit in her own kidnapping, and at least two secret agents from the German government as well.

Wherever the truth lies, it's a strange case. And it is now certain that, despite denials of it, German intelligence had a presence on the ground during and after the Iraq invasion.

John Rosenthal sends me his article from World Politics Watch:

What exactly is the German foreign intelligence service, the BND, doing in Iraq? Although the public has had occasion to be aware of the BND presence, up until now most will have been led to believe that the BND has been "quietly" cooperating with American and coalition authorities. Even more skeptical observers will have assumed that it is at least not cooperating with America's enemies in the country. But a photograph published earlier this month in the German weekly Stern provides disturbing evidence that it is doing precisely that....

Posted by: Rusty at 08:37 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Lilana Ake’s church has started a fund to try and help her avoid having to sell their home. Via John Byrne at the Post Tribune:

Carl Galloway, pastor of LaPorte Missionary Church, said the congregation decided to ramp up its fund-raising efforts after learning Ake had put her home on the market.

Ake's husband, Jeffrey, has been missing in Iraq since April 2005, when he was abducted by gunmen near Baghdad.

"We have been supporting Lilly since Jeff was kidnapped," Galloway said. "It's a strange situation, because Lilly can't draw any of Jeff's benefits since nobody knows what has happened to him."

Ake, the mother of four young children, recently started bankruptcy proceedings for Equipment Express, the Rolling Prairie water bottling company Jeffrey Ake founded and ran until he was kidnapped.

She also put her LaPorte home on the market, saying she could not afford to stay there.

Ake recently earned her Realtor's license and got a job, Galloway said.

"The objective isn't to get her rich," Galloway said. "The goal is to get Lilly through the next few months, get her on her feet, until some money starts coming in."

Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to.

LaPorte Missionary Church :Jeffrey Ake Fund

LaPorte Missionary Church
Attn: Carl Galloway
104 E. 18th St., LaPorte, IN 46350

Our Jeffrey Ake Archive here.

Update: Bumped, originally posted 01/13/07. Just to remind myself to send my paltry sum this week. Have you send your paltry sum yet? My paltry sum added to your paltry sum an make a differnce. I was able to get the word to three churches too, hopefully that will help. Keep your findgers crossed. more...

Posted by: Howie at 11:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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