Relatives' plea for Christian hostages in Iraq
Bagdhad (AsiaNews/Agencies) The families of four westerners taken hostage in Iraq have launched an appeal for the release of their dear ones.
The hostages are an Englishman, Norman Kember (74 years), an American Tom Fox (54) and two Canadians James Loney (41) and Harmeet Singh Sooden (32): all are members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a Canada-based international peace group.
Their kidnappers a group thus far unknown have threatened to kill them by 8 December unless all Iraqis detained in prisons around the world are released.
The daughter of Fox said her father "chose to go to Iraq to listen to those who are not listened to. He was meeting families of missing people and he spent his time trying to free prisoners. He is there only to bring some light into the life of Iraqis he meets, to help fully, peacefully, respectfully."
A spokesperson for the group expressed hope that the appeal will be broadcast by Al Jazeera in Arabic.
Al Jazeera has already broadcast another appeal, that of Pat Kember, Norman's wife (see photo). Asking for his release, the woman said her husband "is a person who takes care of others".
Even Sooden's mother, Maneer Kaur Sooden, launched an appeal for the hostages' release. She said from her home in New Zealand: "I pray for those who are holding Harmeet hostage, that they may look deep into their hearts and set him and his companions free without harming them." Sooden's mother said her son was a "peace-loving" person and that he went to Iraq to "do good".
Meanwhile, the governments of Canada, Great Britain and the United States are working to secure the liberation of the hostages. Paul Martin, the Prime Minister of Canada, said the hostages are innocent people without any links to the military.
The Muslim Association of Britain has sent one of its leaders, Anis al-Tikriti, to meet his Iraqi Sunni counterparts to help secure the release of the British hostage.
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