An American hostage…on video tape…pleading for his life with a gun visibly at his head…shortly before Iraqi elections: Do we need a psychic to guess the intent of this event?
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – An American hostage pleaded for his life with a rifle pointed at his head in a video released Tuesday while 11 Iraqi police died in fierce clashes and gunmen assassinated a senior judge in slayings highlighting security risks ahead of this weekend’s elections.
On a day that the U.S. military said six American soldiers had died, interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi also said the time was not right to talk of a U.S. troop withdrawal and that Iraq must first build up its security forces to confront the insurgents.
In the video, hostage Roy Hallums spoke slowly, rubbing his hands as he sat with the barrel of the rifle inches from his head. He said he had been arrested by a "resistance group" because "I have worked with American forces." He appealed to Arab leaders, including Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, to act to save his life.
Hallums, 56, was seized Nov. 1 along with Filipino Robert Tarongoy during an armed assault on their compound in Baghdad’s Mansour district. The two were working for a Saudi company that does catering for the Iraqi army. The Filipino was not shown.
(AP) Iraqis put up elections banners below a poster reading ‘Ensure Iraqi and your future by electing… Full Image
"I am please asking for help because my life is in danger because it’s been proved I worked for American forces," the bearded Hallums said. "I’m not asking for any help from President Bush because I know of his selfishness and unconcern for those who’ve been pushed into this hellhole."
Hallums said he was asking for help from "Arab rulers especially President Moammar Gadhafi because he’s known for helping those who are suffering."
OH YES. This doesn’t sound like he was told to read a script or face the consequences, does it?
The Jawa Report has a ton of information on it, including an extensive roundup. Required reading.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.