February 17, 2005

Two Lebanese Hostages Freed: Four Americans Still Held Hostage

Two Lebanese hostages, Hassan and Ghazi Haydar have been freed in Iraq. At least four American hostages are still being held Roy Hallums, Dean Sadek, Tim Bell, and Bill Bradley. Two journalists, Italian Giuliana Sgrena and Frenchwoman Florence Aubenas are said to be captive.

Meanwhile, a former Turkish hostage, Kahraman Sadikoglu, released last week admitted to paying a ransom of $500,000. Some hostage takers, it would seem, are nothing more than common criminals.

AFP

Two Lebanese businessmen kidnapped in Iraq and set free after almost 50 days of captivity prepared to head home to Beirut on Thursday, a Lebanese diplomat said.

“We’re heading for the airport,” the diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“They are in good health and were freed after negotiations,” he added, refusing to specify if a ransom had been paid.

A government source in Beirut said Wednesday that the two men, Hassan and Ghazi Haydar, had been freed after 49 days in captivity. It was not clear if the two men were related.

In a videotape broadcast on January 4, the businessmen called on the Beirut government to help free them. They were being held by a group calling itself the Mussab bin Omeir Brigades for Islamic Jihad, according to the video.

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 01:37 PM | |