Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Germany given 10-day deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan by abductors
Security
(Reuters) - Iraqi militants holding a German woman and her son hostage said on Tuesday they were giving Germany a new deadline of 10 days to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan or the two would be killed. The Arrows of Righteousness group posted a video on the Internet showing Hannelore Marianne Krause urging Germans to press their government to heed the demands of the militants. She broke down in tears at one stage.
The group had issued an earlier ultimatum on March 10 that it would kill the pair if Berlin failed to pull out its troops from Afghanistan. The two were seized from their home in western Baghdad in early February. "I urge the German people to help me in my difficult situation," said Krause, according to an Arabic translation of her comments, only parts of which could be heard.
"Germany was safe before it got involved in this satanic coalition with America against what they call terrorism," said Krause, shown sitting on the ground next to her son. "Maybe for the last time ... I urge you. Perhaps you can go to the newspapers, perhaps you can organize a protest march ... contact people who can help you, please please, please," she said, addressing a son and daughter living in Germany.
A militant speaking on the video but out of sight said: "We are giving the German government another 10 days to begin withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan or we shall kill this criminal woman and her son who works in the Foreign Ministry of the government of (Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-) Maliki."
The group had issued an earlier ultimatum on March 10 that it would kill the pair if Berlin failed to pull out its troops from Afghanistan. The two were seized from their home in western Baghdad in early February. "I urge the German people to help me in my difficult situation," said Krause, according to an Arabic translation of her comments, only parts of which could be heard.
"Germany was safe before it got involved in this satanic coalition with America against what they call terrorism," said Krause, shown sitting on the ground next to her son. "Maybe for the last time ... I urge you. Perhaps you can go to the newspapers, perhaps you can organize a protest march ... contact people who can help you, please please, please," she said, addressing a son and daughter living in Germany.
A militant speaking on the video but out of sight said: "We are giving the German government another 10 days to begin withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan or we shall kill this criminal woman and her son who works in the Foreign Ministry of the government of (Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-) Maliki."
The militant said the woman was targeted partly because she worked at the Austrian embassy in Baghdad. "Austria is a government hostile to Islam and Muslims and it also has troops to kill our children in Afghanistan," he said. Krause said: "I also urge Austria to stand by me as I have worked many years at the (Austrian) commercial section ... Austria also has troops in Afghanistan and now I am going to be killed for that. I urge you to please help me."
Germany, which opposed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, has about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO force stationed in the country after U.S.-led troops toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harboring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Austria said last month it had five officers in Afghanistan and was not planning to send more troops. Krause is married to an Iraqi physician and moved to Iraq 40 years ago. Her son is reported to be in his mid-20s and has dual German-Iraqi citizenship. The German government has said it is working to try to secure the hostages' release but will not be blackmailed.
Germany, which opposed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, has about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO force stationed in the country after U.S.-led troops toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harboring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Austria said last month it had five officers in Afghanistan and was not planning to send more troops. Krause is married to an Iraqi physician and moved to Iraq 40 years ago. Her son is reported to be in his mid-20s and has dual German-Iraqi citizenship. The German government has said it is working to try to secure the hostages' release but will not be blackmailed.
Labels: Afghanistan, Arrows of Righteousness, Austria, Germany, Hannelore Krause, hostages
Saturday, March 31, 2007
No information on contractors kidnapped four months ago
Security
(International Herald Tribune) - Friends and family of six private security contractors kidnapped in Iraq more than four months ago are frustrated over the lack of information from the U.S. government — and one friend has left for the Middle East to try to contact the kidnappers. The five Americans and one Austrian were kidnapped Nov. 16 in southern Iraq when their truck convoy was ambushed.
Mark Koscilski, a friend of kidnapped American contractor Paul Johnson Reuben, left the United States on Thursday for Kuwait, where he hopes to contact the kidnappers and begin negotiations to free the five, said Sharon DeBrabander, the mother of kidnapped American John Roy Young, 44. "I believe he's going to try to get on one of their news channels where all the Iraqi people can see it, so we can see if someone might have some information or know where they might be," DeBrabander said.
DeBrabander said her family has been given almost no information from government agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and Young's employer, Crescent Security Group Inc. "We don't know if they're alive or dead," DeBrabander said. Videos of the hostages were released in December — the last update the family has received. Young appeared to have lost about 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) and "looked like crap," said his son, John Robert Young.
A State Department spokeswoman said Thursday she could not provide any information on the hostages.
"The office of Overseas Citizens Services routinely works with families of kidnapping victims to provide information and assistance," spokeswoman Janelle Hironimus said. "I've been real quiet before, but now I'm mad," DeBrabander said. "I want more answers than what we've been getting."
Mark Koscilski, a friend of kidnapped American contractor Paul Johnson Reuben, left the United States on Thursday for Kuwait, where he hopes to contact the kidnappers and begin negotiations to free the five, said Sharon DeBrabander, the mother of kidnapped American John Roy Young, 44. "I believe he's going to try to get on one of their news channels where all the Iraqi people can see it, so we can see if someone might have some information or know where they might be," DeBrabander said.
DeBrabander said her family has been given almost no information from government agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and Young's employer, Crescent Security Group Inc. "We don't know if they're alive or dead," DeBrabander said. Videos of the hostages were released in December — the last update the family has received. Young appeared to have lost about 25 pounds (11.3 kilograms) and "looked like crap," said his son, John Robert Young.
A State Department spokeswoman said Thursday she could not provide any information on the hostages.
"The office of Overseas Citizens Services routinely works with families of kidnapping victims to provide information and assistance," spokeswoman Janelle Hironimus said. "I've been real quiet before, but now I'm mad," DeBrabander said. "I want more answers than what we've been getting."
Labels: abduction, Austria, Crescent Security Group Inc., John Roy Young, Paul Johnson Reuben, private security contractors, U.S.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Insurgents in Iraq using sniper rifles sold to Iran by Austria
Security
(Daily Telegraph) Austrian sniper rifles that were exported to Iran have been discovered in the hands of Iraqi terrorists, The Daily Telegraph has learned. The Steyr HS50 is a long range, high precision rifle. More than 100 of the.50 calibre weapons, capable of penetrating body armour, have been discovered by American troops during raids. The guns were part of a shipment of 800 rifles that the Austrian company, Steyr-Mannlicher, exported legally to Iran last year.
The sale was condemned in Washington and London because officials were worried that the weapons would be used by insurgents against British and American troops. Within 45 days of the first HS50 Steyr Mannlicher rifles arriving in Iran, an American officer in an armoured vehicle was shot dead by an Iraqi insurgent using the weapon.
Over the last six months American forces have found small caches of the £10,000 rifles but in the last 24 hours a raid in Baghdad brought the total to more than 100, US defence sources reported. The find is the latest in a series of discoveries that indicate that Teheran is providing support to Iraq's Shia insurgents. They said 170 American and British soldiers had been killed by such weapons.
The Foreign Office expressed "serious concerns" over the sale of the rifles last year and Britain protested to the Austrian government. The rifle can pierce all body armour from up to a mile and penetrate armoured Humvee troop carriers. It is highly accurate and fires a round called an armour piercing incendiary, a bullet that the Iranians manufacture.
The National Iranian Police Organisation bought the rifles allegedly to use them against drug smugglers in an £8 million order placed with Steyr in 2005. The company was given permission to export them by the Austrian government, which is not a Nato member.
The sale was condemned in Washington and London because officials were worried that the weapons would be used by insurgents against British and American troops. Within 45 days of the first HS50 Steyr Mannlicher rifles arriving in Iran, an American officer in an armoured vehicle was shot dead by an Iraqi insurgent using the weapon.
Over the last six months American forces have found small caches of the £10,000 rifles but in the last 24 hours a raid in Baghdad brought the total to more than 100, US defence sources reported. The find is the latest in a series of discoveries that indicate that Teheran is providing support to Iraq's Shia insurgents. They said 170 American and British soldiers had been killed by such weapons.
The Foreign Office expressed "serious concerns" over the sale of the rifles last year and Britain protested to the Austrian government. The rifle can pierce all body armour from up to a mile and penetrate armoured Humvee troop carriers. It is highly accurate and fires a round called an armour piercing incendiary, a bullet that the Iranians manufacture.
The National Iranian Police Organisation bought the rifles allegedly to use them against drug smugglers in an £8 million order placed with Steyr in 2005. The company was given permission to export them by the Austrian government, which is not a Nato member.
Labels: Austria, Iran, Iraq, sniper rifles, Steyr HS50
