Freeing of German hostage brings hope to Iraq peace workers
-18/12/05
Both German tele
Freeing of German hostage brings hope to Iraq peace workers
-18/12/05
Both German television station N-tv and the Federal Foreign Minister, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have tonight announced that captive Susanne Osthoff has been freed in Iraq.
The news was first made known by Ms Osthoffís brother, Robert, early this evening. When the details are confirmed it is likely to be a huge boost to the hopes of relatives and supporters of the four Christian Peacemaker Teams workers, who were kidnapped on 26 November 2005.
Ms Osthoff was abducted with her taxi driver in northern Iraq the day before Tom Fox, Harmeet Sooden, Norman Kember and Jim Loney were taken hostage outside a central Baghdad mosque after meeting with Sunni leaders about helping detainees.
In both instances the kidnap groups have remained unidentified, and in the Osthoff case the authorities in Berlin have remained determined to keep all attempts to contact them under wraps.
Dr Steinmeier did not say how Ms Osthoff had been freed. He left a press conference without answering questions on his statement.
“She is no longer in the hands of the kidnappers,” the minister said, saying that she appeared to be in good physical condition.
Four days ago, as reported on Ekklesia, Anja Osthoff said she had no word on the fate of her sister. She appealed through Reuters for her release ìas a gesture of solidarity.î
Suzanne Osthoff was reported to be a Muslim convert. She and her driver were shown in a videotape blindfolded and sitting on a floor, with militants ñ one armed with a rocket-propelled grenade ñ standing beside them.
The captors threatened to kill the hostage unless Germany stops dealing with the Iraqi government. While it opposed the war, Germany has since begun training Iraqi soldiers and police outside the country.
An archaeologist and humanitarian worker, Osthoff had lived in Iraq for the last 10 years. She has an 11 year-old daughter. Before her capture she told the German newspaper Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung (NOZ) that she had been threatened with abduction.
In separate developments, US vice-president Dick Cheney visited Iraq today. An architect of the 2003 war on Iraq, his trip is intended to affirm the general election process ñ but will be seen by others as insensitive and unhelpful.
In an address he is due to give from the White House this evening (21.00 EST, 02.00 GMT), President George W. Bush, who is under great domestic pressure from low approval ratings, will also say the Iraqi election is a great sign of progress towards peace and stability in the region.
He will say that the US will ìsee the job throughî, though policy analysts suggest that significant troop reductions are in the offing.
Regular Iraq and captives updates on FaithInSociety. Comprehensive list of Ekklesia news and coverage of the events at the foot of Sooden family know nothing of Iraq negotiator abduction claim, 18/12/05.
[Also on Ekklesia: Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas; French engineer seized in Iraq; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes]
Freeing of German hostage brings hope to Iraq peace workers
-18/12/05
Both German television station N-tv and the Federal Foreign Minister, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have tonight announced that captive Susanne Osthoff has been freed in Iraq.
The news was first made known by Ms Osthoff’s brother, Robert, early this evening. When the details are confirmed it is likely to be a huge boost to the hopes of relatives and supporters of the four Christian Peacemaker Teams workers, who were kidnapped on 26 November 2005.
Ms Osthoff was abducted with her taxi driver in northern Iraq the day before Tom Fox, Harmeet Sooden, Norman Kember and Jim Loney were taken hostage outside a central Baghdad mosque after meeting with Sunni leaders about helping detainees.
In both instances the kidnap groups have remained unidentified, and in the Osthoff case the authorities in Berlin have remained determined to keep all attempts to contact them under wraps.
Dr Steinmeier did not say how Ms Osthoff had been freed. He left a press conference without answering questions on his statement.
“She is no longer in the hands of the kidnappers,” the minister said, saying that she appeared to be in good physical condition.
Four days ago, as reported on Ekklesia, Anja Osthoff said she had no word on the fate of her sister. She appealed through Reuters for her release ‘as a gesture of solidarity.’
Suzanne Osthoff was reported to be a Muslim convert. She and her driver were shown in a videotape blindfolded and sitting on a floor, with militants – one armed with a rocket-propelled grenade – standing beside them.
The captors threatened to kill the hostage unless Germany stops dealing with the Iraqi government. While it opposed the war, Germany has since begun training Iraqi soldiers and police outside the country.
An archaeologist and humanitarian worker, Osthoff had lived in Iraq for the last 10 years. She has an 11 year-old daughter. Before her capture she told the German newspaper Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung (NOZ) that she had been threatened with abduction.
In separate developments, US vice-president Dick Cheney visited Iraq today. An architect of the 2003 war on Iraq, his trip is intended to affirm the general election process – but will be seen by others as insensitive and unhelpful.
In an address he is due to give from the White House this evening (21.00 EST, 02.00 GMT), President George W. Bush, who is under great domestic pressure from low approval ratings, will also say the Iraqi election is a great sign of progress towards peace and stability in the region.
He will say that the US will ‘see the job through’, though policy analysts suggest that significant troop reductions are in the offing.
Regular Iraq and captives updates on FaithInSociety. Comprehensive list of Ekklesia news and coverage of the events at the foot of Sooden family know nothing of Iraq negotiator abduction claim, 18/12/05.
[Also on Ekklesia: Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas; French engineer seized in Iraq; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes]