GardaWorld Iraq Kidnaping Situation

[Silverbullet]

This post is in response to the numerous PM's I've received this morning.

We are aware of the possible kidnapping of German citizens working for the Ministry of Finance and the GardaWorld security team.

It would be irresponsible of us to post any background info we may have due to the situation and the issues involved with family and friends waiting to find out what is fact or fiction.

Feel free, if you wish, to discuss this subj as long as nothing is posted that may jeopardize those in harms way. I trust the membership to be professional enough to do this.

Thanks.

[kpel308]

Prayers outbound for the safety of the kidnapped, and the slow, painful demise of their captors.

[Kalbo]

Saying prayers for thier safe return and families

[bmbsqd]

This was emailed to me from IPOA earlier.

---------------------
Five Britons 'seized in Baghdad'

Five Britons are reported to have been kidnapped from the Iraqi financeministry in Baghdad.
They included four bodyguards and a finance expert. Earlier reports said the expert was German.

Witnesses and sources told the BBC that the kidnappers wore police uniforms
and arrived in up to 40 police vehicles.

"We are aware of reports that a group of Westerners have been kidnapped. We
are urgently looking into them," the UK foreign office said.

The foreign office is set to hold an emergency meeting on the situation and
is assembling a crisis team.

Renegade police?

There are conflicting reports about exactly how Tuesday's abduction took
place and how many people are missing.

Witnesses said it was carried out by what appeared to be a police unit.

The street was sealed off at both ends and the kidnappers, in police
camouflage uniforms, walked straight past guards at the finance ministry,
the witnesses said.

A police source told the BBC that dozens of police vehicles were used in the
operation.

The BBC's Paul Wood in Baghdad says that if such reports are true, it could
point to the involvement of a renegade police unit, possibly special
commandoes.

While it has been possible in the past for criminals or militants to hire
police uniforms and vehicles, he says, the scale of this operation suggests
real police involvement.

It is well known that the Iraqi police are heavily infiltrated by militia
groups, leading to split loyalties and corruption, our correspondent says.

Fewer kidnappings

The missing security guards are all believed to have been working for the
GardaWorld security agency - a Canadian-owned firm largely staffed by
British former service personnel.

Their abducted client was thought to be advising the Iraqi finance ministry.

The BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner, says a British crisis team,
including police hostage negotiators, members of the secret intelligence
service, and regional experts, is being assembled to establish lines of
communication with the kidnappers.

About 200 foreigners of many different nationalities have been kidnapped in
Iraq over the past four years, though the number has fallen dramatically
since a few years ago.

This is thought to be the first time an abduction has been staged at a
government facility.

Correspondents say hopes for the captives' future depends on who is holding
them.

The Sunni al-Qaeda has a record of killing captives, while if it is a Shia
group, there may be scope for political negotiation, the BBC's Paul Wood in
Baghdad says.

If it is a criminal group, then GardaWorld can expect a ransom demand, he
says. However, the British government has a declared position of not paying
ransoms.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ go/pr/fr/ -/2/hi/middle_ east/6700319. stm

Published: 2007/05/29 13:11:53 GMT

C BBC MMVII

[Argyll 50]

I know a lot of guys on that project, as I used to work for Kroll.

[JCastro]

My thoughts and prayers are with these guys and their families. I hope they are released quickly!

[PanaVet]

I'm hopeful it turns out well...

When it's resolved....NUKE Sadr City.

[Dutch8654]

fingers crossed

[10thvet]

Who ever is missing, I hope that they are found healty and quick...Fingers crossed and saying prayers

In the last few days, we have noticed our teams being followed and filmed even in the IZ(3 times in two days once in a grey opal and once in a Black merc).
Stay vigiliant everyone

[frank B]

As far as the german government confirmed, there are no germans involved.
The clients are british.
BTW, fingers crossed for these guys.

[Silverbullet]

Courtesy of a member.

Here's what the UK is saying.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L29128836.htm

It appears the Germans have accounted for all their people which supports the info in this article.

[Argyll 50]

I know 3 of the guys involved personally, man this has been a shitty week!!

[Silverbullet]

I'm hearing word out of Iraq that the Mahdi Army were behind this not AQ.

Interesting development, if accurate.

[PanaVet]

Could be in response to the Mahdi Cdr that was killed in Basra by British troops earlier....? If so... then a lot of Iraqis were complicit at the venue.

I'm sure no one is surprised.....

[Purple36]

Who ever is missing, I hope that they are found healty and quick...Fingers crossed and saying prayers

In the last few days, we have noticed our teams being followed and filmed even in the IZ(3 times in two days once in a grey opal and once in a Black merc).
Stay vigiliant everyone

10th Vet, PM inbound

[Massgrunt]

Large number of "police type vehicles" (Land Cruisers?) and uniforms. Headed towards Sadr City.

I'm sure the Iraqi government is stumped.

[MixedLoad]

Large number of "police type vehicles" (Land Cruisers?) and uniforms. Headed towards Sadr City.

I'm sure the Iraqi government is stumped.

Who would've thought?

I hope the guys come out unscathed!

[Massgrunt]

I'm hoping but not hopeful.

[nofear]

Fingers crossed.

[DCH]

Good to hear Aero, I hope we get an unfair trade; all of our men safe for none of theirs alive.

[SOTB]

I'm hearing word out of Iraq that the Mahdi Army were behind this not AQ.

Interesting development, if accurate.Some recent commentary:Article (http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_6193672?nclick_check=1)

[Silverbullet]

Site is a registration site. Here's the article.

US Gen: Militia kidnapped 5 Britons
The Associated Press
News Fuze
Article Launched:06/21/2007 04:13:20 AM PDT
LONDON—Five Britons who were kidnapped in Baghdad last month are being held by a secret cell of the Mahdi Army militia that was armed, trained and funded by Iran, the top U.S. commander in Iraq was quoted Thursday as saying.

"A very intensive effort" is under way to find the hostages, Gen. David Petraeus told The Times.

The captives—four security guards and a consultant—were abducted from the Iraqi Finance Ministry on May 29 by some 40 heavily armed men who took them in the direction of Baghdad's sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City.

Iraqi officials have said they believe the Britons were taken hostage by the Mahdi Army militia, which is largely loyal to the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

But Petraeus told The Times that "it is a secret cell of Jaish al-Mahdi (the Mahdi Army)."

"They are trained in Iraq, equipped with Iranian (weapons) and advised by Iran," Petraeus was quoted as saying. "The Iranian involvement here we have found to be much, much more significant than we thought before."

Washington has accused Shiite Iran of arming and financing Shiite militias fighting American and Iraqi troops in Iraq—charges Iran denies.

Petraeus said told The Times there have been several operations to try to rescue the hostages but "we just have not had the right intelligence."

Iraqi officials have said the Mahdi Army may have grabbed the men in retaliation for the killing by British forces of the militia's commander in the southern city of Basra.

The British ambassador to Iraq, Dominic Asquith, has appealed to the kidnappers of the five Britons to release them or open negotiations.

[PanaVet]

At least one 1 happy ending here...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091230/ap_on_re_eu/iraq_hostage/print

British hostage in Iraq freed after over 2 years
By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer Jill Lawless, Associated Press Writer 1 hr 20 mins ago

LONDON – A British man abducted in Baghdad by armed militants disguised as policemen was freed Wednesday, alive and remarkably well after 2 1/2 years in captivity, the British government said.

Computer consultant Peter Moore, who was handed over to Iraqi authorities Wednesday morning, is believed to be the only survivor of a group of five Britons abducted in a daring raid outside Iraq's Finance Ministry in May 2007. Moore was taken along with his four British bodyguards.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Moore, 36, was in good health at the British Embassy in Baghdad.

"I have just had a very moving conversation with Peter himself," Miliband said. He said Moore was "in a remarkable frame of mind" given his ordeal.

"He is obviously, to put it mildly, absolutely delighted at his release."

Miliband said Moore would soon return home to Britain. He said Britain had not made concessions to the hostage-takers, but would not say whether a deal had been done between the Iraqi government and the kidnappers. He said Moore's release was the result of the reconciliation process between Iraq's government and armed groups willing to renounce violence.

"It is the result of some very hard work on the part of the Iraqi authorities," Miliband said.

Moore's father, Graeme, said the family was looking forward to having him back.

"We are so relieved and we just want to get him home, back now to his family and friends," he said. "I'm breaking down, I'm just so overjoyed for the lad. It's been such a long haul."

Hopes for Moore's release grew after the militant group behind the kidnapping, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, promised in August to lay down its weapons and join the political process.

The kidnappers had demanded the release of several Shiite militiamen held by U.S. forces, including the group's leader, Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, in exchange for the hostages. Al-Khazali's status was unclear Wednesday, although the BBC reported he had recently been handed over to Iraqi authorities by U.S. forces.

Miliband called on the hostage-takers to release the body of Alan McMenemy, one of the four bodyguards kidnapped with Moore. British officials said earlier this year that they believed McMenemy, 34, was dead, but have yet to identify his body.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Moore's release was "wonderful news," but also demanded the return of McMenemy.

"We have believed for some time that he has been killed, and his family have been told our view of his likely fate," Miliband said. "I call today again in the strongest terms for the hostage-takers to return Alan's body as soon as possible."

The remains of the three other Britons — Alec MacLachlan, 30, Jason Swindlehurst, 38, and Jason Creswell, 39 — were returned to Britain earlier this year. It is not clear how they died, although both Swindlehurst and Creswell had multiple gunshot wounds.

"For Peter's family, the pain and the anguish is over. For the other families it endures," Miliband said.

British authorities have not said how they communicated with the kidnappers, but have received information about the hostages over the years.

A videotape showing Moore in reasonable health was delivered to the British Embassy in Baghdad in March, and British officials have said since then they believed he was still alive.

The four security contractors worked for Canadian security company GardaWorld protecting Moore, an IT consultant working for BearingPoint, a U.S.-based management consulting firm.

[O_Pos]

Wow...

Welcome home, Sir.

[kpel308]

Now to find the f***s that did it...

[Massgrunt]

Now to find the f***s that did it...

Start in Tehran.

[Believeraz]

Obliterate Tehran.

Fixed it for you.

[OfficeSloth]

Now to find the f***s that did it...

Why, what's the point? It's not like anyone would do anything about it anyhow.

Prayers out to the families who lost loved one's. Congrats to the one who returned alive.

[specat93]

Interesting read regarding this event:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/british-hostages-baghdad-iraq-iran

[Argyll 50]

Jason Swindlehurst was NOT a Paratrooper, he was a former Royal Engineer, we were good mates when we were both on the same team at Kroll, I knew all these guys well enough to call mates, other than Al MacMenemy, as the 3 others were all on the same contract I was on at one stage...
I'd read that article with a great deal of skepticism, why take them to Iran, hold them, and then kill them and then rebury them in Iraq?
One part says they were killed soon after the abduction, but the autopsies say otherwise...Peter Moore looked pretty fucking remarkable after being held for two and a half years, he looked FATTER than he did when his video was released, so he was obviously VERY well looked after.... shame the lads were not extended the same courtesy.....bastards!!