British Muslims in fresh plea for Norman Kember
-25/12/05
The Muslim Association of Br
British Muslims in fresh plea for Norman Kember
-25/12/05
The Muslim Association of Britain has renewed its calls for the release of Norman Kember, one of four Christian peace workers taken hostage in Iraq a month ago.
The televised appeal was made from the headquarters of Arabic television station al-Jazeera in Qatar.
It followed similar pleas from the family of the 74-year-old Briton who placed a series of newspaper adverts in Iraq.
Dr Kember, from Pinner, north-west London, was seized in Baghdad on November 26, with James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both Canadians, and American Tom Fox, 54.
The Swords of Truth Brigades, which has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, had threatened to kill the group by 10 December 2005 unless Iraqi prisoners were released. There has been no news of the hostages since the deadline expired.
In the televised appeal aired on Christmas Eve, the Muslim Association’s Dr Azzam Tamimi said: “Norman Kember and his three friends were in Iraq as true friends of the Iraqi people.
“They were there to highlight the issues, concerns and the sufferings of the Iraqi people and the occupation and it will not help the cause of Iraq and the Iraqis by taking hostage such people.
“The Muslim Association of Britain appeals on Christmas Eve that as a gesture of goodwill, the hostages should be released.
“Our appeal is being joined by prominent leaders across the world, like leaders of Hamas and Hizbollah and many others have joined us in this call for the release of the prisoners.
“We repeat our call to release Norman and his three friends, and to allow them to return safely home.”
[Updated full chronological list of related articles on Ekklesia as of 25 December 2005 PM: Features – Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Christian peacemakers – a lesson to the peace movement (by Mark A. LeVine); A culture of Christian citizenship (Pat Gaffney, CAFOD, Advent inc. Iraq); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox). Advent hope for Iraq, captives and Limbaugh (Sojourners magazine). What on earth are we waiting for? (Simon Barrow, Advent and Iraq); Watching and waiting with the Christian peacemakers in Iraq (Lee McKenna duCharme). Updates: FaithInSociety; News – New appeal for release of Iraq peace workers 24/12/05; Churches Urged to pray for Iraq hostages this Christmas 24/12/05; United Church of Canada calls for an end to detention and occupation in Iraq 21/12/05; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember 21/12/05; Christian Peacemakers say they will carry on their work 18/12/05; Lack of evidence for Iraq negotiator abduction claim 17/12/05; Fears ‘unfounded’ over Iraq hostage negotiator 16/12/05; Search goes on for missing Christian peace workers 16/12/05; UK envoy remains hopeful on Iraq captives 16/12/05; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas 14/12/05; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay 14/12/05; Canadian churches pray for missing peace activists 13/12/05; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence 12/12/05; All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember 12/12/05; Officials and families seek news on Iraq Christian peace workers 12/12/05; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes 11/12/05; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms 10/12/05; Embattled Hezbollah backs Iraq ‘doves of peace’ 09/12/05; UN secretary general calls for release of all Iraqi captives 09/12/05; Former Guantanamo Bay detainees call for release of Christian peacemakers 08/12/05; Jack Straw says he will talk on Iraq hostages 08/12/05; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended 08/12/05; Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox); Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]
British Muslims in fresh plea for Norman Kember
-25/12/05
The Muslim Association of Britain has renewed its calls for the release of Norman Kember, one of four Christian peace workers taken hostage in Iraq a month ago.
The televised appeal was made from the headquarters of Arabic television station al-Jazeera in Qatar.
It followed similar pleas from the family of the 74-year-old Briton who placed a series of newspaper adverts in Iraq.
Dr Kember, from Pinner, north-west London, was seized in Baghdad on November 26, with James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both Canadians, and American Tom Fox, 54.
The Swords of Truth Brigades, which has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, had threatened to kill the group by 10 December 2005 unless Iraqi prisoners were released. There has been no news of the hostages since the deadline expired.
In the televised appeal aired on Christmas Eve, the Muslim Association’s Dr Azzam Tamimi said: “Norman Kember and his three friends were in Iraq as true friends of the Iraqi people.
“They were there to highlight the issues, concerns and the sufferings of the Iraqi people and the occupation and it will not help the cause of Iraq and the Iraqis by taking hostage such people.
“The Muslim Association of Britain appeals on Christmas Eve that as a gesture of goodwill, the hostages should be released.
“Our appeal is being joined by prominent leaders across the world, like leaders of Hamas and Hizbollah and many others have joined us in this call for the release of the prisoners.
“We repeat our call to release Norman and his three friends, and to allow them to return safely home.”
[Updated full chronological list of related articles on Ekklesia as of 25 December 2005 PM: Features – Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Christian peacemakers – a lesson to the peace movement (by Mark A. LeVine); A culture of Christian citizenship (Pat Gaffney, CAFOD, Advent inc. Iraq); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox). Advent hope for Iraq, captives and Limbaugh (Sojourners magazine). What on earth are we waiting for? (Simon Barrow, Advent and Iraq); Watching and waiting with the Christian peacemakers in Iraq (Lee McKenna duCharme). Updates: FaithInSociety; News – New appeal for release of Iraq peace workers 24/12/05; Churches Urged to pray for Iraq hostages this Christmas 24/12/05; United Church of Canada calls for an end to detention and occupation in Iraq 21/12/05; Christians and Muslims show continued support for Norman Kember 21/12/05; Christian Peacemakers say they will carry on their work 18/12/05; Lack of evidence for Iraq negotiator abduction claim 17/12/05; Fears ‘unfounded’ over Iraq hostage negotiator 16/12/05; Search goes on for missing Christian peace workers 16/12/05; UK envoy remains hopeful on Iraq captives 16/12/05; Muslim envoy to Iraq returns as al-Jazeera publicizes mercy pleas 14/12/05; Christian peacemakers demand entry to Guantanamo Bay 14/12/05; Canadian churches pray for missing peace activists 13/12/05; Cardinal joins pleas for Iraq peace workers; Praying for a miracle amid Iraq hostage silence 12/12/05; All faiths candlelit vigil in London for Norman Kember 12/12/05; Officials and families seek news on Iraq Christian peace workers 12/12/05; Lobbying goes on as Iraq hostage deadline passes 11/12/05; Hope continues as Iraq captive deadline looms 10/12/05; Embattled Hezbollah backs Iraq ‘doves of peace’ 09/12/05; UN secretary general calls for release of all Iraqi captives 09/12/05; Former Guantanamo Bay detainees call for release of Christian peacemakers 08/12/05; Jack Straw says he will talk on Iraq hostages 08/12/05; Abu Qatada pleas for Iraq captives as deadline is extended 08/12/05; Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]Christian Peacemaker Teams full briefing (with links to features and stories on CPT’s work); Why are we here? (by CPTer Tom Fox); Christians criticize UK Iraq war budget increase 08/12/05; Christian peacemakers say the work must go on 08/12/05; Last minute appeals made for Christian peacemakers 07/12/05 ; Muslim detainees plead for lives of Christian peacemakers 06/12/05; Faith groups in the US unite to back Iraq captives 06/12/05; French engineer seized in Iraq 05/12/05; Norman Kember’s wife pleads for his life 04/12/05; Iraqi, Muslim and Palestinian support for peace hostages grows 04/12/05; Insurgents say they will kill Christian peacemakers 02/12/05; WCC calls for freeing of Christian peace workers 02/12/05; Vigils and messages of support for abducted peace activist 02/12/05; Palestinian bishop seeks mercy for Iraq peace workers 02/12/05; Anti-war campaigner flies to Iraq to plead for Christian peacemakers 01/12/05; Muslims urge release of Christian peacemakers missing in Iraq 01/12/05; Al-Jazeera releases film of Iraq peace hostages 30/11/05; Search goes on for Christian peacemaker kidnapped in Iraq 28/11/05. Key book: Patricia Gates-Brown (ed.), Getting in the Way: Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Herald Press]