NcDeuce
06-08-2004, 11:54 AM
U.S. General in Iraq Says Hostages Freed
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces freed Italian and Polish hostages in bloodless American commando operation Tuesday south of Baghdad, the top U.S. general in Iraq said.
All the hostages were freed from the same location and suspects were detained," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said. There was no reported exchange of fire in rescuing the three Italians and a Pole.
Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi told Italian state television that the hostages were being transported aboard a coalition helicopter and would be flown back to Italy on Wednesday.
"This is a happy conclusion," Berlusconi told state TV.
He praised coalition forces and thanked them for their help.
"Also, a thought, we should remember the fourth hostage, (Fabrizio) Quattrocchi who was killed in captivity," the Italian leader said.
Also Tuesday, Iraqi resistance forces displayed seven Turks said to have been kidnapped because they worked for Americans and threatened companies cooperating with U.S. forces with more attacks.
Videotape obtained by Associated Press Television News showed three of the hostages surrounded by armed men wearing masks. Four other hostages were shown to reporters separately.
The tape showed three men crouching on the floor, holding passports opened to the photo page.
Six masked men were standing behind the hostages. One was holding a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and two were holding assault rifles. The hostages were sitting against the backdrop of the old Iraqi flag, held by some of the kidnappers.
The Italian hostages, who were in Iraq as private security guards, were abducted in April. A fourth Italian abducted with them was slain shortly after the kidnapping and his body later returned to Italy.
The Pole is a construction company official was abducted last week after seven men stormed the Baghdad office of the Jedynka construction company. Another Polish employee abducted at the same time managed to escape.
The abductions were part of a wave of kidnappings of foreigners sparked by intense violence that began in April. As many as 40 people from several nations were abducted, though most were later freed.
Americans still held hostage include truck drivers William Bradley, 50, of Chesterfield, N.H., and Timothy Bell of Mobile, Ala. They were taken captive April 9 when their fuel convoy was attacked outside Baghdad. Both work for the Halliburton subsidiary KBR.
A military man taking part in the convoy, Pfc. Keith M. Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, also remains missing.
Four KBR employees were killed in the attack, and another U.S. soldier in the convoy was found dead later. A seventh KBR employee, Thomas Hamill of Mississippi, escaped from his captors May 2.
Good job guys! Hopefully we'll extract the rest as well.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces freed Italian and Polish hostages in bloodless American commando operation Tuesday south of Baghdad, the top U.S. general in Iraq said.
All the hostages were freed from the same location and suspects were detained," Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said. There was no reported exchange of fire in rescuing the three Italians and a Pole.
Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi told Italian state television that the hostages were being transported aboard a coalition helicopter and would be flown back to Italy on Wednesday.
"This is a happy conclusion," Berlusconi told state TV.
He praised coalition forces and thanked them for their help.
"Also, a thought, we should remember the fourth hostage, (Fabrizio) Quattrocchi who was killed in captivity," the Italian leader said.
Also Tuesday, Iraqi resistance forces displayed seven Turks said to have been kidnapped because they worked for Americans and threatened companies cooperating with U.S. forces with more attacks.
Videotape obtained by Associated Press Television News showed three of the hostages surrounded by armed men wearing masks. Four other hostages were shown to reporters separately.
The tape showed three men crouching on the floor, holding passports opened to the photo page.
Six masked men were standing behind the hostages. One was holding a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and two were holding assault rifles. The hostages were sitting against the backdrop of the old Iraqi flag, held by some of the kidnappers.
The Italian hostages, who were in Iraq as private security guards, were abducted in April. A fourth Italian abducted with them was slain shortly after the kidnapping and his body later returned to Italy.
The Pole is a construction company official was abducted last week after seven men stormed the Baghdad office of the Jedynka construction company. Another Polish employee abducted at the same time managed to escape.
The abductions were part of a wave of kidnappings of foreigners sparked by intense violence that began in April. As many as 40 people from several nations were abducted, though most were later freed.
Americans still held hostage include truck drivers William Bradley, 50, of Chesterfield, N.H., and Timothy Bell of Mobile, Ala. They were taken captive April 9 when their fuel convoy was attacked outside Baghdad. Both work for the Halliburton subsidiary KBR.
A military man taking part in the convoy, Pfc. Keith M. Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, also remains missing.
Four KBR employees were killed in the attack, and another U.S. soldier in the convoy was found dead later. A seventh KBR employee, Thomas Hamill of Mississippi, escaped from his captors May 2.
Good job guys! Hopefully we'll extract the rest as well.