Two More British Hostages Believed Dead

Tragic news from Iraq as the families of two more of the British hostages kidnapped in Baghdad in 2007 have been told that their loved ones are now believed to have killed by their captors. Via BBC:

The families of five Britons kidnapped in Iraq say they are "deeply upset" to hear two more of the men are likely to have died in captivity.

Government sources told the BBC that security guards Alan McMenemy, from Glasgow, and Alec Maclachlan, from south Wales, were believed dead.

They were kidnapped in 2007 with three others, two of whom have since been shot and their bodies released.

The condition of the fifth man, Peter Moore, from Lincoln, remains unknown.

The Foreign Office says it is still trying to secure the release of all the remaining men.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said British officials were doing their "absolute level best" through a variety of channels to bring the hostages to safety.

This is particularly upsetting as the US recently released 5 Iranian prisoners who were responsible for the kidnapping and murder of American soldiers in order to win the release of the British hostages, and once again shows the not surprising complete lack of good faith that the terrorists have been negotiating in.

Our deepest condolences to the families of Mr. Maclachlan and Mr. McMenemy. Please continue to pray for the safety of the remaining hostage, Peter Moore, and for justice to brought to the murderers of these men.

Previous:
Bodies of Two British Hostages Identified
British Hostages May Be Free Soon
New Video of Kidnapped Britons Sent to Embassy
Hostage News Updates 11/19/08
Kidnappers Offer to Trade Body of Hostage for Iraqi Prisoners
British Hostages Moved, Separated
British Officials Claim They Were Close to Hostage Rescue
British Hostage Has Killed Himself
British Intelligence Blew Chance for Hostage Rescue
Iraqi Official: 5 British Hostages Are Alive
Time to End the Silence
Captors of British Hostages Respond to Families
Former Captive Speaks Out: Silence Won't Release the Hostages
One Year of Captivity for British Hostages
New Push to Rescue British Hostages
New Plea for British Hostages
Iran Denies Holding British Hostages
Five British Hostages Feared to Be in Hands of Revolutionary Guard
British Hostages Believed to be Moved From Iraq to Iran
CBS Journalists Kidnapped in Basra
Arabic TV Shows British Hostage Video
British, Iraqi Prime Ministers Discuss Hostages
We Will Never Forget You
Pray for the Hostages
Families of Kidnapped Britons Hope for Christmas Miracle
British PM Demands Release of Hostages
Families of British Hostages Send Message
Video Released of British Hostages (Updated with Video)
British Hostages to Be Free Soon?
Three Shiites Arrested for Kidnapping Brits
Family of British Hostage Pleads for His Release
Abducted Britons Believed to be Held by "Shiite Zarqawi"
Johnston: my prayers for forgotten hostages
Kidnapped Brits Held by "Iran-Backed" Killers
Britons kidnapped by gunmen in Baghdad
British, German Hostages Seized in Iraq

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

Wednesday's Hero 7/22/09

Assoluta Tranquillita did a post a few days ago and after last week's Wednesday Hero felt it would be good to profile Sgt. 1st Class Gabe of the 178th Military Police Detachment, 20th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade. Is it wrong to be jealous of a dog? Be sure to read the Defend America article linked to in the post.

These brave men and women, and dogs, sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Taliban Release Video of Kidnapped American Soldier

A video released by the Taliban show the American soldier kidnapped June 30 to be alive but emotionally distressed as his captors threatened to kill him if a rescue attempt is launched. Via CNN:

(CNN) -- A United States soldier captured by the Taliban says in a video posted on the Internet he is "scared I won't be able to go home."

The soldier was identified Sunday by the Pentagon as Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, of Ketchum, Idaho. He was captured June 30 from Paktika province in southeastern Afghanistan.

The Taliban has threatened to kill Bergdahl if foreign troops continue targeting civilians in the name of search operations in Ghazni and Paktika province, Taliban commander Mulvi Sangeen said by telephone Friday after being contacted by CNN at an undisclosed location.

NATO-led forces in Afghanistan and the U.S. military have repeatedly denied targeting civilians.

In the 28-minute video, Bergdahl becomes emotional when he speaks of his family -- his parents, siblings, nieces and nephew -- and the girlfriend he hopes to marry.

"I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America, and I miss them every day that I'm gone," he says. "I miss them and I'm afraid I might never see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them I love them again. I'll never be able to hug them."

He adds that he is "scared. I'm scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner." However, he says his captors are treating him "like a guest."

It was not clear whether some or all of Bergdahl's remarks were scripted by his captors.

Please continue to pray for the safety of Pfc. Bergdahl and of all our troops in Afghanistan, especially those who are searching for him and may be sent to rescue him.

Previous:
American Soldier Captured by Afghan Insurgents

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

MV Victoria Released

Good news from Somalia, where the German cargo ship the MV Victoria, which was hijacked in May, has been released with all crewmembers safe. Via CNN:

(CNN) -- Somali pirates released a German cargo ship Saturday that they have held since May, the German Foreign Ministry said.

The MV Victoria was able to set sail on its own with all of its crew after being released, a ministry spokesman said.

It was not clear whether a ransom was paid.

Pirates hijacked the vessel May 5 as it was sailing to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 10,000 tons of rice, Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarers' Assistance Program told CNN affiliate network ITN.

All the crew members are Romanian, he said.

Thank God that these crewmembers are now free to resume their lives and return to their homes and loved ones. Please continue to pray for the many other ships and their crews still in the hands of pirates.

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

Wednesday's Hero 7/15/09

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez & Jacko
35 years old from Weidman, Michigan
K-9 unit of the 527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP Brigade
September 2, 2008


"I asked Greg if anything ever happened to him where he'd prefer to be buried," Sgt. Rodriguez's wife, Laura, told the Morning Sun of Mount Pleasant, "and he told me Arlington, as he wanted to be among the best and the brave."

"Rod," as he was known to his Army buddies, was a Red Wings fan who loved to hassle fans of other hockey teams he met during his military career, said Laura. "Greg loved to push everyone's buttons and get people going with his rare, unique sense of sarcasm," she said. At the same time, her husband, a military police dog handler whose dog, Jacko, survived the fatal ambush, was "a very committed, loyal individual and could be counted on whenever needed."

Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez died of wounds suffered in Ana Kalay, Afghanistan, when his mounted patrol came under small-arms fire.

"My brother liked to be the law," said Lisa Dombrowski. "He liked justice. If it wasn't right, he made it right."

He is survived by his sister, wife and three children.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Possible Amnesty for American Reporters?

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on North Korea to grant an amnesty to jailed reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were sentenced to 12 years hard labor last month after being accused of illegally crossing N. Korea's border with China. Via Bradenton Herald:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked for "amnesty" for the two journalists on Friday, a departure from her previous demands the two journalists be released on humanitarian grounds. Rather than offer an apology from the United States, Clinton offered an apology on behalf of the families.

"The two journalists and their families have expressed great remorse for this incident, and I think everyone is sorry that it happened," Clinton said Friday during a meeting with State Department employees. "What he hope for now is that these two young women would be granted amnesty through the North Korean system and be allowed to return home to their families as soon as possible."

Ling and Lee were filming a story on the human trafficking of North Korean refugees escaping into China when they were arrested. Please continue to pray for their protection and swift release, and for the safety of those helpless refugees they risked their lives to report on.

Previous:
Two American Journalists Sentenced to 12 Years Hard Labor
Trial Begins for 2 American Journalists
American Journalists Being Interrogated for Espionage
Kidnapped American Journalists Being Interrogated in N. Korea
American Journalists Held by North Korea

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

Red Cross Hostage Freed in Philippines

More good news, this time from the Philippines, where Eugenio Vagni, an Italian Red Cross worker kidnapped by Abu Sayaf rebels January 15, has been released. Via Bloomberg News:

July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni was released by Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippine province of Sulu almost six months after he and two others were taken hostage.

Vagni was released around midnight to Sulu Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidulla, who had gone to negotiate with Vagni’s captors yesterday, Philippine Red Cross spokeswoman Gwen Pang said in a phone interview. Sahidulla returned two wives of an Abu Sayyaf leader, who were detained by authorities last week, Philippine Daily Inquirer reported, citing the vice governor.

“With two dear women nagging, the subleader was persuaded to help work out the release of Vagni,” Navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo said in a phone interview. While authorities said no ransom was paid, the Inquirer reported Sahidulla as saying she gave Vagni’s captors 50,000 pesos ($1,036) as “cigarette money.” She didn’t answer mobile phone calls or text messages seeking her comment.

Vagni was among three Red Cross workers kidnapped by the militant Abu Sayyaf group on Jan. 15. The other two, a Filipina and a Swiss national, were released in April. Abu Sayyaf is a splinter of the Muslim separatist movement in southern Philippines, home of most of the country’s Muslim minority.

The kidnappers in March threatened to behead at least one of the hostages unless the military withdrew from the area. The government refused, saying complying would amount to surrendering the island.

Thank God for this successful release. Please continue to pray for the protection and safety of all the many aid workers who struggle against harsh conditions and the threat of kidnapping and murder to bring hope to the needy in some of the most dangerous parts of the world.

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

Long-Held Hostage Freed in Mali

Good news from Mali, where Werner Greiner, the last of a group of European tourists kidnapped in Niger in January of this year, and then moved to Mali by their Al Qaeda abductors, has been freed at last. Via BBC:

A Swiss man held hostage for six months by members of al-Qaeda in Mali has been freed, Swiss and Malian officials say.

Werner Greiner - seized in Niger - is the last of six Western hostages held by a group calling itself al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb.

In May, the group announced on a website that it had killed British hostage Edwin Dyer.

The group had been demanding the release of radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada from a UK prison.

"The Swiss Foreign Ministry learnt with joy that the efforts towards the liberation of the last Swiss hostage in Mali have been successful," the ministry said in a statement.

Mr. Greiner was abducted along with his wife Gabriella and fellow tourists Marianne Petzold and Edwin Dyer January 22 while visiting Niger. The two women were freed in April while Mr. Dyer was beheaded in May.

Thank God for the end of this ordeal. Please continue to pray for all the remaining hostages on our prayer list and those known only to God.

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages

Wednesday's Hero 7/8/09

Cpl. Reynold Armand
21 years old from Rochester, New York
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
August 7, 2007


Reynold Armand didn't want to wait until he turned 18 to join the Marines. He persuaded his adoptive mother to sign papers allowing him to sign up a year early.

"I'm very proud of him," said his father, Carl Armand. "When he was home, he gave no sign of being afraid." Armand didn't speak much about his experiences in Iraq, according to family members, saying only that most Iraqi civilians he encountered were very nice.

"We used to send him a lot of candy," said his mother, Alma Armand. "He would pass it out."

Manny Rodriguez, 21, of Rochester met Armand five years ago at New Day Church in Rochester, where both young men were members of the youth group. "He was such an amazing all-around person. He was so easy and comfortable to be around. He liked people for who they are."

No definitive report could be found on how Cpl. Armand died. Some report that he was killed when shot and others report that he was killed by an IED that exploded near his vehicle in Balad, Iraq.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com with help from Kathi

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

American Soldier Captured by Afghan Insurgents

UPDATE II: CNN: Abducted US soldier sold to infamous Haqqani clan, a video is believed to be coming soon

UPDATE: CNN: Taliban claim responsibility for kidnapping of American soldier

An American soldier reported missing Tuesday has been confirmed to be captured by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan. Via Fox News:

KABUL — Insurgents have captured an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Thursday.

Spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias said the soldier went missing Tuesday.

"We are using all of our resources to find him and provide for his safe return," Mathias said.

Mathias did not provide details on the soldier, the location where he was captured or the circumstances.

"We are not providing further details to protect the soldier's well-being," she said.

An Afghan police official said the soldier went missing during the day Tuesday in the Mullakheil area of eastern Paktika province. Gen. Nabi Mullakheil said there is an American base in the area.

Please pray urgently for the protection and rescue of this soldier. It is not known yet if he is in the hands of the Taliban or one of the many other insurgent groups operating in the region. More updates as they become available.

Crossposted at Pray for the Hostages