Gunmen free 17 seized at Baghdad Red Crescent office

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Gunmen who kidnapped 30 people at a Red Crescent office in Baghdad on Sunday have freed 17 hostages, an official of the humanitarian group said on Monday.

Maazen Abdulla, secretary-general of the Iraqi Red Crescent, said the victims were released unharmed in different parts of Baghdad on Sunday and Monday.

"Most of them are employees of the Red Crescent," Abdulla told Reuters. He said two Iraqi security guards who work at the Dutch embassy adjacent to the Red Crescent offices were among those released.

In the latest mass kidnapping that highlighted lawlessness in Baghdad, gunmen wearing police uniforms stormed the branch of the Red Crescent office in central Karrada, separated men from women and took off with their hostages.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IBO838178.htm

[Kagemusha]

1. I've heard that the kidnappers were upstanding members of SCIRI

making a nice political point that enemies of Bush had better watch what they say and watch what they do with Hakim watching who's naughty and who's nice...

[JNelson6563]

2. That's good news

I hope to hear soon of the rest being released also.

Julie

[maddezmom]

4. hope so, too....but we haven't heard a thing about the ones that were

kidnapped on Thursday.

[slackmaster]

3. Guns: A force so powerful they can only be used for good or evil

Apologies to the Firesign Theatre.

[antiimperialist]

5. Did Americans kidnap Red Crescent workers as retaliation?

Last Friday, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society vice-president said that the American military is more of a threat to them than insurgents are.
Then the following day coincidencially these workers are kidnapped.

Retaliation?

link