The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

Hostages in Iraq

AP did a tally of foreigners taken hostage in Iraq. Sobering.

A Look at Foreigners Taken Hostage in Iraq

By The Associated Press

Insurgents in Iraq have kidnapped more than 150 foreigners:


HELD HOSTAGE:

_Margaret Hassan, director of CARE international in Iraq and a citizen of Britain, Ireland and Iraq. Abducted Oct. 19. A videotape issued Oct. 22 shows her pleading for Britain to withdraw troops from Iraq.

_Two Lebanese electrical workers, Marwan Ibrahim Kassar and Mohammed Jawdat Hussein. A video broadcast Sept. 30 shows masked men holding them at gunpoint. Islamic Army in Iraq claims responsibility.

_Christian Chesnot, 37, and George Malbrunot, 41, French journalists. Disappeared Aug. 20. Islamic Army in Iraq claims responsibility.

_Aban Elias, 41, Iraqi-American. Seized May 3 by Islamic Rage Brigade.





HOSTAGES KILLED:

_Three Macedonian contractors, Dalibor Lazarevski, Zoran Nastovski and Dragan Markovic abducted Aug. 21; Macedonian government confirms their deaths Oct. 22.

_Ramazan Elbu, a Turkish driver. A video posted Oct. 14 on the Web site of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army shows his beheading.

_Maher Kemal, a Turkish contractor. Internet posting Oct. 11 shows his beheading. A statement says he was captured by the Ansar al-Sunnah Army.

_British engineer Kenneth Bigley, 62. Kidnapped Sept. 16 with two American co-workers for Gulf Services Co. A video issued in the name of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatens their lives unless the U.S. frees all Iraqi women in custody. The Americans are slain first; Bigley's killing is confirmed Oct. 10.

_Unidentified Turkish hostage. Al-Jazeera reports slaying Oct. 4 and says it received claim in video from Salafist Brigades of Abu Bakr Al-Sidiq.

_Jack Hensley, 48, a civil engineer from Marietta, Ga. Seized Sept. 16; an Internet message posted Sept. 21 reports his killing by al-Zarqawi's followers.

_Eugene "Jack" Armstrong, 52, formerly of Hillsdale, Mich. Kidnapped Sept. 16; video made public Sept. 20 shows his beheading by al-Zarqawi.

_Akar Besir, a Turkish driver. Body found Sept. 21.

_Durmus Kumdereli, Turkish truck driver. Beheaded in video made public Sept. 13 but digitally dated Aug. 17. Video posted on a Web site known for carrying statements from Tawhid and Jihad.

_Twelve Nepalese construction workers. One beheaded and 11 shot in the head in a video posted on the Internet Aug. 31. Killings claimed by Ansar al-Sunnah Army.

_Enzo Baldoni, Italian journalist. Reported killed Aug. 26; Islamic Army in Iraq had threatened his life.

_Murat Yuce of Turkey. Shot dead in video made public Aug. 2 by followers of al-Zarqawi.

_Raja Azad, 49, engineer, and Sajad Naeem, 29, driver, both Pakistani. Slain July 28. The Islamic Army in Iraq said they were killed because Pakistan considering sending troops to Iraq.

_Georgi Lazov, 30, and Ivaylo Kepov, 32, Bulgarian truck drivers. Al-Zarqawi's followers suspected of decapitating both men.

_Kim Sun-il, 33, South Korea (news - web sites) translator. Beheaded June 22 by al-Zarqawi's group.

_Hussein Ali Alyan, 26, Lebanese construction worker. Found shot to death June 12. Lebanon says killers sought ransom.

_Fabrizio Quattrocchi, 35, Italian security guard. Killed April 14. Unknown group, the Green Battalion, claimed responsibility.

_Nicholas Berg, 26, businessman from West Chester, Pa. Kidnapped in April and beheaded by al-Zarqawi's group.

FREED OR ESCAPED:

_35 Turks, 15 Jordanians, 13 Lebanese, nine Egyptians, five Japanese, five Chinese, three Kenyans, three Czechs, five Italians, three Indians, two Americans, two Poles, two Indonesians, two Canadians, two Russians, a Filipino, an Australian, a Briton, an Iranian, a Pakistani, a Somali, a Frenchman, a Syrian-Canadian, and an Arab Christian from Jerusalem.

MISSING:

_U.S. Army Spc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio, William Bradley of Chesterfield, N.H., and Timothy Bell of Mobile, Ala. Disappeared April 9 after attack on a fuel convoy. Arab television reported June 29 that Maupin had been killed; he is listed as missing by the U.S. military.