ABC/AP: CARE Suspends Iraq Operations (after "most high-profile" kidnap)

[DeepModem Mom]

CARE Suspends Operations in Iraq


BAGHDAD, Iraq — CARE International suspended operations in Iraq on Wednesday after gunmen seized the woman who ran the humanitarian organization's work in the country. The victim's Iraqi husband appealed to the kidnappers to free her "in the name of humanity, Islam and brotherhood."

Margaret Hassan, who holds British, Irish and Iraqi citizenship, was seized early Tuesday on her way to work in western Baghdad after gunmen blocked her route and dragged the driver and a companion from the car, her husband said.

Hassan, who is in her early 60s, is among the most widely known humanitarian officials in the Middle East and is also the most high-profile figure to fall victim to a wave of kidnappings sweeping Iraq in recent months.

The Arab television station Al-Jazeera broadcast a brief video showing Hassan, wearing a white blouse and appearing tense, sitting in a room with bare white walls. An editor at the station, based in Qatar, said the tape contained no audio. It did not identify what group was holding her and contained no demand for her release....

***

Hassan has lived in Baghdad for 30 years, helping supply medicines and other humanitarian aid and speaking out about Iraqis' suffering under international sanctions during the 1990s....


http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=181076

[Gman]

1. Real bad move here

If these guys were getting any sympathy anywhere, they blew it on this one. There is a method to the madness of kidnapping Americans and other "coalition" members. To the rest of Islam, I would think its just plain stupid to kidnap a woman like this. I suspect she'll be released shortly.

[amber dog democrat]

2. They are over reacting.

What are a few kidnappings, bombings, be headings, convoy ambushes, pipeline sabotages, executions, armed rebellions, and threats - compared to freedom on the march?

let freedom reign.

[Barrett808]

3. Reporter Chris Allbritton just bugged out after his friend was kidnapped

Bugged Out
AMMAN -- Well, as you can see from the dateline, I'm out of Baghdad. I evacuated after we learned of further threats against journalists. And just this afternoon, upon landing at Queen Alia International Airport, I learned that Margaret Hassan, the top CARE official in Iraq, has been kidnapped. She was taken while driving to work.

Her abduction fits a pattern. She did not employ armed guards and, like my friend John, was a “soft target.” It's tragic, because she has done more for the Iraqi people than these insurgents ever will. She's been in the country working for children's issues and other health-related causes for more than 25 years. My heart goes out to her family.

Even so, I'm not happy to be out. It's cutting and running, and it feels like crap. I want to cover the story, as best I can, and I really don't like leaving my friends and colleagues behind. My fixer and translator have no work now, although I'm trying to find them another journalist to work with while I'm gone. I plan to return after Ramadan or whenever we hear that it's safe(r) again.

To answer some questions: The journalists are clumped together because we only endanger ourselves that way. Kodia asked me why we didn't disperse and stay with families.

o It's more difficult to secure their houses (blast walls, guards, etc.);
o We can't trust the neighbors not to rat us out;
o I don't trust any Iraqi I don't know well;
o And most important, we endanger them by staying with them -- they would be branded as collaborators.

So our options are limited in terms of where we can stay. Anyway, I'm going to be exploring my options for the next few weeks -- and watching the American campaign closely. Talk about a nail biter. I won't be coming back and "stumping" for anyone; that's not what I do. I report what I see. What you guys do with that information is up to you.

Cheers for now,
Christopher

Posted by Christopher at October 19, 2004 07:13 PM

http://www.back-to-iraq.com/archives/000828.php