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3 Western Aid Workers in Iraq Rescued in Military Operation
3 Western Aid Workers in Iraq Rescued in Military Operation
By EDWARD WONG and CHRISTINE HAUSER
BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 23 — Three Western peace workers who were held hostage in Iraq for four months were rescued in a military operation today, two weeks after their American colleague was killed in captivity.
The three men — James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both from Canada; and Norman Kember, 74, of Britain — had been kidnapped last November along with the American man, Tom Fox, in Baghdad while working with the Chicago-based Christian Peacemaker Teams.
Mr. Fox's body was found this month. He had apparently been tortured by his captors before being shot multiple times in the head and dumped on a trash heap next to a railway line in western Baghdad.
"Our hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad," said a statement from the peace group. "Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad."
The delegation coordinator for the group, Claire Evans, said by telephone that Mr. Loney, a 41-year-old Canadian, had contacted his family this morning from the Green Zone, the fortified compound in Baghdad where some American military forces, Iraqi government offices and the American Embassy are located.
"He said that they were all in reasonable health," she said, adding that the three men were undergoing medical checks.
The men were freed by multinational forces in a military operation.
The hostages were found when American-led forces raided a house in western Baghdad, acting on information from one of two detainees interrogated late Wednesday night, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for the American military, said at a news conference in Baghdad. The kidnappers were not in the house. The men were in "relatively good condition," he said.
In London, the British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, said the mission had included British forces.
"It follows weeks and weeks of very careful work by military and coalition personnel in Iraq and many civilians as well," Mr. Straw said, adding that it involved a number of countries, including Canadian personnel.
Mr. Straw said that Mr. Kember was in "reasonable" condition and that the two Canadians had to have hospital treatment. He said he had spoken with Mr. Kember's wife. "Of course, it goes without saying that she is absolutely delighted, elated, with this news," Mr. Straw said.
The Loney family released a statement today saying that Mr. Loney had been released unharmed with his two companions.
"What a joyful day this is," the family's statement said. "We have just learned that James is coming home." The statement also expressed sympathy for Mr. Fox's family.
The Christian Peacemaker Teams organization promotes peace and human rights in conflict zones.
On March 7, all but Mr. Fox appeared on a tape shown by the Arab television network Al Jazeera. The tape was dated Feb. 28 and showed the three men talking, though the video was silent. Before that, the hostages, including Mr. Fox, were seen on a video released Jan. 28.
The Swords of Righteousness Brigade, an insurgent group, has said it was holding the men and threatened to kill them if all Iraqi prisoners were not released.
In an interview with the Canadian network CBC, Mr. Loney's brother, Ed, said Mr. Loney had told his parents in the phone call from the Green Zone that he was well.
"He was concerned about us, about family and about other people who were worried about him," Ed Loney said. "Which is pretty typical for Jim — put others first before himself."
He said he did not know when his brother would return to Canada but he imagined how they would celebrate.
"Have a meal, and maybe play some cards and just listen to each others' stories, and sit across the table and look at each other, and hold hands and give each other hugs and just do what we can to support each other," Ed Loney said.
Kidnappers in Iraq have taken both foreigners and Iraqis hostage to press their demands for ransom, or often portraying the hostages on videotape pleading for foreign troops to withdraw from Iraq or for Iraqi prisoners to be freed.
Jill Carroll, a freelance writer for The Christian Science Monitor who was kidnapped Jan. 7 in Baghdad, is still missing. Since her abduction, she has appeared in three videotapes accompanied with messages that convey her kidnappers' demands.
Today, at least 18 people were killed in two car-bomb attacks in Baghdad that struck a police patrol and the headquarters of a major crimes unit, according to the Interior Ministry. The casualties included five civilians and 13 police, while 32 police and civilians were wounded.
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By EDWARD WONG and CHRISTINE HAUSER
BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 23 — Three Western peace workers who were held hostage in Iraq for four months were rescued in a military operation today, two weeks after their American colleague was killed in captivity.
The three men — James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both from Canada; and Norman Kember, 74, of Britain — had been kidnapped last November along with the American man, Tom Fox, in Baghdad while working with the Chicago-based Christian Peacemaker Teams.
Mr. Fox's body was found this month. He had apparently been tortured by his captors before being shot multiple times in the head and dumped on a trash heap next to a railway line in western Baghdad.
"Our hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad," said a statement from the peace group. "Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad."
The delegation coordinator for the group, Claire Evans, said by telephone that Mr. Loney, a 41-year-old Canadian, had contacted his family this morning from the Green Zone, the fortified compound in Baghdad where some American military forces, Iraqi government offices and the American Embassy are located.
"He said that they were all in reasonable health," she said, adding that the three men were undergoing medical checks.
The men were freed by multinational forces in a military operation.
The hostages were found when American-led forces raided a house in western Baghdad, acting on information from one of two detainees interrogated late Wednesday night, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for the American military, said at a news conference in Baghdad. The kidnappers were not in the house. The men were in "relatively good condition," he said.
In London, the British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, said the mission had included British forces.
"It follows weeks and weeks of very careful work by military and coalition personnel in Iraq and many civilians as well," Mr. Straw said, adding that it involved a number of countries, including Canadian personnel.
Mr. Straw said that Mr. Kember was in "reasonable" condition and that the two Canadians had to have hospital treatment. He said he had spoken with Mr. Kember's wife. "Of course, it goes without saying that she is absolutely delighted, elated, with this news," Mr. Straw said.
The Loney family released a statement today saying that Mr. Loney had been released unharmed with his two companions.
"What a joyful day this is," the family's statement said. "We have just learned that James is coming home." The statement also expressed sympathy for Mr. Fox's family.
The Christian Peacemaker Teams organization promotes peace and human rights in conflict zones.
On March 7, all but Mr. Fox appeared on a tape shown by the Arab television network Al Jazeera. The tape was dated Feb. 28 and showed the three men talking, though the video was silent. Before that, the hostages, including Mr. Fox, were seen on a video released Jan. 28.
The Swords of Righteousness Brigade, an insurgent group, has said it was holding the men and threatened to kill them if all Iraqi prisoners were not released.
In an interview with the Canadian network CBC, Mr. Loney's brother, Ed, said Mr. Loney had told his parents in the phone call from the Green Zone that he was well.
"He was concerned about us, about family and about other people who were worried about him," Ed Loney said. "Which is pretty typical for Jim — put others first before himself."
He said he did not know when his brother would return to Canada but he imagined how they would celebrate.
"Have a meal, and maybe play some cards and just listen to each others' stories, and sit across the table and look at each other, and hold hands and give each other hugs and just do what we can to support each other," Ed Loney said.
Kidnappers in Iraq have taken both foreigners and Iraqis hostage to press their demands for ransom, or often portraying the hostages on videotape pleading for foreign troops to withdraw from Iraq or for Iraqi prisoners to be freed.
Jill Carroll, a freelance writer for The Christian Science Monitor who was kidnapped Jan. 7 in Baghdad, is still missing. Since her abduction, she has appeared in three videotapes accompanied with messages that convey her kidnappers' demands.
Today, at least 18 people were killed in two car-bomb attacks in Baghdad that struck a police patrol and the headquarters of a major crimes unit, according to the Interior Ministry. The casualties included five civilians and 13 police, while 32 police and civilians were wounded.
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