shoup house: A personal angle on the kidnappings in Iraq

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Friday, September 10, 2004

A personal angle on the kidnappings in Iraq

For the last few weeks my friend Justin Alexander has been on an emotional roller coaster as the kidnapping gangs in Iraq have begun to target anti-occupation activists. Justin is the founder of Jubilee Iraq, an organization set up to work for debt forgiveness for Iraq and an alternative to corporate privatization. Justin visits Iraq every few months to touch base with friends and colleagues in Iraq.

Three weeks ago, soon after he returned from Iraq, two of his friends traveling in a Red Cross convoy were attacked by gunment. Gareeb (left with Justin), an Iraqi activist who spent a week traveling with Justin last year, was shot dead by the gunmen. Enzo, an Italian journalist and anti-occupation activist (above), was kidnapped. A group calling itself the "Islamic Army in Iraq" announced that if Italy did not withdraw its troops from Iraq in 48 hours, they would not guarantee his safety.

Justin spent the next week calling all his possible contacts in Iraq to uncover any possible contacts or links that could help free his friend. His blog entries during those few days chronicles the testimonies of many prominent Italians and Iraqis on his behalf, including the Iraqi football team in Athens.

On Friday, August 27 it became clear the kidnappers had carried through with their threat as a video of his death was delivered to Al Jazeera. I was with Justin the next day as he struggled to come to terms with their deaths. He was emotionally drained and still in shock. How could any Iraqi group kidnap and kill people so clearly committed to helping Iraqis?

More Kidnappings this Week

This Tuesday, two more Italian activists (right) were kidnapped, along with two Iraqi co-workers. Simona Pari and Simona Torretta were the founders of Un Ponte Per Baghdad (a Bridge to Baghdad). The organizaiton is the Italian equivalent of Voices in the Wilderness and since the invasion has been channeling aid. This time the kidnappers entered their Central Baghdad offices and kidnapped them in broad daylight. These are clearly targeted kidnappings. This time, a group calling themselves Ansar El Zawahri claimed responsibility via the website islamic-minbar.com

Justin has set up the a Free our Friends blog to collect messages of support and report news as it becomes available. He's also set up an on-line petition of support. Please sign this petition. Though there may be no one to deliver them to, it is still a way of showing support for these four kidnapped activists.

Around 8 O'Clock this morning (GMT) the group issued an ultimatum giving the Italian government 24 hours to release hours to promise to release Muslim women prisoners in Iraq in exchange for details about two kidnapped women.

What can we do but watch and pray?
posted by Unknown @ 8:11 AM

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