Post by Archibald on Nov 28, 2005 12:02:56 GMT -5
I continue to spite all of you who don't give a crap about Canadian current events. For those of you who care, read on.
Ottawa working to free 2 Canadians held hostage in Iraq[/b]
Last Updated Mon, 28 Nov 2005 08:07:37 EST
CBC News
Efforts continued in Iraq on Monday to help locate two Canadians taken hostage in the country.
Dan McTeague, parliamentary secretary
to the minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Canadians were among four people – all humanitarian workers – who disappeared.
Media reports say the other two hostages are a British man believed to be in his 70s, and an American. A British Foreign Office spokeswoman has identified the missing Briton as Norman Kember.
Canada's Defence Minister Bill Graham says the government will do everything it can to help free the hostages. He did not provide any details.
On Sunday, Dan McTeague, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Foreign Affairs, told CBC News that the Canadian Embassy in Amman, in neighbouring Jordan, was contacted about the abductions on Saturday. Canada doesn't have an embassy in Iraq.
McTeague said the aid agency involved had asked that no one reveal its name, those of the hostages or other details of the abduction, fearing the hostages' lives could be further endangered.
The abduction starkly illustrated the dangers in the Mideast country, said McTeague.
Warned about travel in Iraq
Ottawa issued a warning in April 2004 warning all Canadians to avoid travelling and working in Iraq.
"We have for some time now advised Canadians not to go there: it's for good reason," said McTeague.
"Once there, and if you end up in this kind of a situation, it is entirely conceivable that your government may not be able to help"
Despite the government's advice that Iraq is not a safe location, some Canadian aid agencies are at work there.
A Toronto-based spokesperson for a Christian aid group, Doug Pritchard, wouldn't say whether any of his four workers in Iraq were missing.
"We believe there's a better way out of this than perpetuating the violence which has been so endemic in the region," he told CBC News.
"And we're willing to take the risks to try and live that out."
More than 200 foreigners have been abducted in Iraq in the past 1½ years.
Four of them were Canadians, including Fairuz Yamulky, a Vancouver woman who was held captive by Iraqi militants for more than two weeks in September 2004 before she escaped.
But another Canadian, Zaid Meerwali, who had dual Canadian-Iraqi citizenship, was killed by hostage-takers in August.
Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former senior intelligence officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), predicted it would be difficult to determine who is behind the latest abductions.
"It will be very difficult in this particular case because there are also Americans and British that were kidnapped at the same period of time," Juneau-Katsuya said.
"All those representatives are coming from countries that have been identified by [Osama] bin Laden as targets for al-Qaeda."
Another horrible piece of news in a relatively short period of time that keeps involving Canadians in this horrible war. These were good people working in a country that isn't safe. Hopefully the Canadian government can save them in a safe way.
I keep feeling like as much as we place all the blame on Osama bin Laden or al-Qaeda, the US is fighting such a faceless opponent.
Maybe the name is Oil. I'm not sure.
Ottawa working to free 2 Canadians held hostage in Iraq[/b]
Last Updated Mon, 28 Nov 2005 08:07:37 EST
CBC News
Efforts continued in Iraq on Monday to help locate two Canadians taken hostage in the country.
Dan McTeague, parliamentary secretary
to the minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Canadians were among four people – all humanitarian workers – who disappeared.
Media reports say the other two hostages are a British man believed to be in his 70s, and an American. A British Foreign Office spokeswoman has identified the missing Briton as Norman Kember.
Canada's Defence Minister Bill Graham says the government will do everything it can to help free the hostages. He did not provide any details.
On Sunday, Dan McTeague, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Foreign Affairs, told CBC News that the Canadian Embassy in Amman, in neighbouring Jordan, was contacted about the abductions on Saturday. Canada doesn't have an embassy in Iraq.
McTeague said the aid agency involved had asked that no one reveal its name, those of the hostages or other details of the abduction, fearing the hostages' lives could be further endangered.
The abduction starkly illustrated the dangers in the Mideast country, said McTeague.
Warned about travel in Iraq
Ottawa issued a warning in April 2004 warning all Canadians to avoid travelling and working in Iraq.
"We have for some time now advised Canadians not to go there: it's for good reason," said McTeague.
"Once there, and if you end up in this kind of a situation, it is entirely conceivable that your government may not be able to help"
Despite the government's advice that Iraq is not a safe location, some Canadian aid agencies are at work there.
A Toronto-based spokesperson for a Christian aid group, Doug Pritchard, wouldn't say whether any of his four workers in Iraq were missing.
"We believe there's a better way out of this than perpetuating the violence which has been so endemic in the region," he told CBC News.
"And we're willing to take the risks to try and live that out."
More than 200 foreigners have been abducted in Iraq in the past 1½ years.
Four of them were Canadians, including Fairuz Yamulky, a Vancouver woman who was held captive by Iraqi militants for more than two weeks in September 2004 before she escaped.
But another Canadian, Zaid Meerwali, who had dual Canadian-Iraqi citizenship, was killed by hostage-takers in August.
Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former senior intelligence officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), predicted it would be difficult to determine who is behind the latest abductions.
"It will be very difficult in this particular case because there are also Americans and British that were kidnapped at the same period of time," Juneau-Katsuya said.
"All those representatives are coming from countries that have been identified by [Osama] bin Laden as targets for al-Qaeda."
----------------------------------------------------
Another horrible piece of news in a relatively short period of time that keeps involving Canadians in this horrible war. These were good people working in a country that isn't safe. Hopefully the Canadian government can save them in a safe way.
I keep feeling like as much as we place all the blame on Osama bin Laden or al-Qaeda, the US is fighting such a faceless opponent.
Maybe the name is Oil. I'm not sure.
Which is sad considering they were in Iraq to help those in need.