Tom Fox murdered
The torture and murder of an American hostage in Iraq has increased the concern for three others seized along with Tom Fox, including two Canadians. All four men – Fox, Canadians Harmeet Sooden and James Loney, and Briton Norman Kember – were kidnapped on Nov. 26 after going to Iraq as members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an organization devoted to helping people in war zones.
"What we feared most has happened," said Jane Pritchard, a CPT member in Toronto.
She said she felt dread, "and then kind of suspended animation and focused prayer, I guess, for our three remaining colleagues."
The BBC reported that in Britain, CPT backer Bruce Kent said the news of Fox's death "is a very bad setback."
Sooden's family said they were shocked and shaken by Fox's death. Loney's family is not speaking publicly now.
Fox's body was found in western Baghdad on Thursday. On Saturday, Iraqi police said he had been tortured and shot.
His hands and feet were bound and he had gunshot wounds to the head and chest, police said. There were also bruises on his head and cuts on his body, which was wrapped in a blanket.
There has been no news on the fate of fellow activists.
Fox, a Quaker and father of two, was notably absent from a video that aired earlier in the week showing three of the men.
The Christian Peacemaker Teams, which still has five people in Iraq, said it will continue its work despite the risks.
"We reject kidnapping and hostage-taking wholesale," CPT spokeswoman Isabella Bates said on Saturday. "If any of us are taken hostage, absolutely no ransom will be paid."
Later,
Kenaz
The torture and murder of an American hostage in Iraq has increased the concern for three others seized along with Tom Fox, including two Canadians. All four men – Fox, Canadians Harmeet Sooden and James Loney, and Briton Norman Kember – were kidnapped on Nov. 26 after going to Iraq as members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an organization devoted to helping people in war zones.
"What we feared most has happened," said Jane Pritchard, a CPT member in Toronto.
She said she felt dread, "and then kind of suspended animation and focused prayer, I guess, for our three remaining colleagues."
The BBC reported that in Britain, CPT backer Bruce Kent said the news of Fox's death "is a very bad setback."
Sooden's family said they were shocked and shaken by Fox's death. Loney's family is not speaking publicly now.
Fox's body was found in western Baghdad on Thursday. On Saturday, Iraqi police said he had been tortured and shot.
His hands and feet were bound and he had gunshot wounds to the head and chest, police said. There were also bruises on his head and cuts on his body, which was wrapped in a blanket.
There has been no news on the fate of fellow activists.
Fox, a Quaker and father of two, was notably absent from a video that aired earlier in the week showing three of the men.
The Christian Peacemaker Teams, which still has five people in Iraq, said it will continue its work despite the risks.
"We reject kidnapping and hostage-taking wholesale," CPT spokeswoman Isabella Bates said on Saturday. "If any of us are taken hostage, absolutely no ransom will be paid."
Later,
Kenaz
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