Web site says American captive beheaded

[Ironduke]

Web site says American captive beheaded

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An al Qaeda-linked Web site showed video Tuesday of a man who identified himself as an American and then was beheaded.

His captors said the United States refused to exchange him for prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison.

"For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage for some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib and they refused," says a hooded man standing behind the American.

"So we tell you that the dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib and others is not redeemed except by blood and souls. You will not receive anything from us but coffins after coffins, slaughtered in this way."

The video was discovered as a U.S. Senate committee heard testimony on the U.S. military investigation into abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. (Full story)

At the beginning of the tape, the victim describes himself as Nicholas Berg from Pennsylvania.

"My name is Nic Berg. My father's name is Michael. My mother's name is Suzanne. I have a brother and a sister -- David and Sarah," says the man.

"I live in West Chester, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia."

He is then shown sitting in front of five hooded men. After the statement is read by one of the men, the victim is pushed to the floor and, amid his screams, his throat is cut. Finally, one of the captors holds up the man's severed head.

Earlier in the day, the State Department identified the body of an American found Monday in Baghdad as that of Nicholas Berg of Pennsylvania.

Berg was not a soldier or a civilian employee of the Pentagon, the State Department said.

A senior State Department official also said that the beheaded body of an American had been found, but he could not confirm it was Berg.

The Web site said the killing had been carried out by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of an Islamist terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on coalition forces in Iraq.

The voice on the tape could not be verified as that of al-Zarqawi.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...ain/index.html

[Leader]

These people are sick bastards.

American in Iraq Beheaded by Militants

Tuesday, May 11, 2004



A 26-year-old American from Pennsylvania was beheaded to avenge the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers and the militants who killed him videotaped the crime and posted it on a Web site.

U.S. officials think that terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (search) may have either authorized the execution or actually performed the act himself.

The video showed five men wearing headscarves and black ski masks, standing over a bound man in an orange jumpsuit — similar to a prisoner's uniform — who identified himself as Nick Berg (search), a U.S. contractor whose body was found on a highway overpass in Baghdad on Saturday.

"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Susan," the man said on the video. "I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in ... Philadelphia."

After reading a statement, the men were seen pulling the man to his side and putting a large knife to his neck. A scream sounded as the men cut his head off, shouting "Allahu Akbar!" — "God is great." They then held the head out before the camera.

Berg's family said Tuesday they knew their son had been decapitated, but didn't know the details of the killing. When told of the video by an Associated Press reporter, Berg's father, Michael, and his two siblings hugged and cried.

"I knew he was decapitated before. That manner is preferable to a long and torturous death. But I didn't want it to become public," Michael Berg said.

As President Bush boarded Air Force One headed back to Washington D.C., Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters that the president's thoughts and prayers are with Nick Berg and with his family.

"This shows the true nature of the people who are opposed to freedom and democracy in the region," McClellan said. "Those who carried out this crime will be pursued and brought to justice."

On the Web site, one of the executioners read a statement:

"For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage with some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib (search) and they refused."

"So we tell you that the dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib and others is not redeemed except by blood and souls. You will not receive anything from us but coffins after coffins ... slaughtered in this way."

The video bore the title "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shown slaughtering an American." It was unclear whether al-Zarqawi — a lieutenant of Usama bin Laden — was shown in the video, or was claiming responsibility for ordering the execution.

The Web site on which the video was posted is known as a clearing house for Al Qaeda and Islamic extremist groups' statements and tapes. An audiotape purportedly from bin Laden — which the CIA said was probably authentic — appeared on the same Web site last week.

Western officials say al-Zarqawi, whose real name is Ahmad Fadhil al-Khalayleh, is a lieutenant of bin Laden. The United States has offered $10 million for information leading to the capture or killing of al-Zarqawi, saying he is trying to build a network of foreign militants in Iraq to work for Al Qaeda.

In the video, the speaker threatened both President Bush and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf (search).

"As for you Bush ... expect severe days. You and your soldiers will regret the day you stepped into the land of Iraq," he said. He described Musharraf as "a traitor agent."

The slaying recalled the kidnapping and videotaped beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (search) in 2002 in Pakistan. Four Islamic militants have been convicted of kidnapping Pearl, but seven other suspects — including those who allegedly slit his throat — remain at large.

Suzanne Berg, the mother of the 26-year-old Berg, of West Chester, Pa., said her son was in Iraq as an independent businessman to help rebuild communication antennas. He had been missing since April 9, she said.

"He had this idea that he could help rebuild the infrastructure," she said.

The U.S. military Tuesday said an American civilian was found dead in Baghdad, but did not release his identity. State Department spokeswoman Susan Pittman said she couldn't release the name of the dead American, but said she not aware of more than one civilian found dead in recent days.

The military said there were signs of trauma to the body. Suzanne Berg said she was told her son's death was violent but did not want to discuss details.

Berg, who was in Baghdad from late December to Feb. 1, returned to Iraq in March. He didn't find any work and planned again to return home on March 30, but his daily communications home stopped on March 24. He later told his parents he was jailed by Iraqi officials at a checkpoint in Mosul.

"He was arrested and held without due process," his father, Michael Berg, told the Daily Local News of West Chester recently. "By the time he got out the whole area was inflamed with violence.

The FBI on March 31 interviewed Berg's parents in West Chester. Jerri Williams, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia FBI office, told The Philadelphia Inquirer the agency had been "asked to interview the parents regarding Mr. Berg's purpose in Iraq."

On April 5, the Bergs filed suit in federal court in Philadelphia, contending that their son was being held illegally by the U.S. military. The next day Berg was released. He told his parents he hadn't been mistreated.

The Bergs last heard from their son April 9, when he said he would come home by way of Jordan, Turkey or Kuwait. But by then, hostilities in Iraq had escalated.

Suzanne Berg on Tuesday said she was told her son's body would be transported to Kuwait and then to Dover, Del. She said the family had been trying for weeks to learn where their son was but that federal officials had not been helpful.

"I went through this with them for weeks," she said. "I basically ended up doing most of the investigating myself."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...119615,00.html

[Lunatock]

Show the tape on CNN for all those outraged at the prison hazings and all the left wing terrorist apologists. Maybe they'd straighten up and fly right if they saw how harsh reality can be.

I'd also recomend beheading ten al-qaeda prisoners for every one American that is killed like that. And use the old far east torture "death by 10,000 cuts" on every terrorist leader we capture if they don't stop doing that to our people. Minus the stab to the heart that kills them.

"Iraqi insurgent? Chechen wolf? Too bad, thank bin Laden's Lt. for what's about to happen to you."

[Officer of Engineers]

Show the tape on CNN for all those outraged at the prison hazings and all the left wing terrorist apologists. Maybe they'd straighten up and fly right if they saw how harsh reality can be.

I'd also recomend beheading ten al-qaeda prisoners for every one American that is killed like that. And use the old far east torture "death by 10,000 cuts" on every terrorist leader we capture if they don't stop doing that to our people. Minus the stab to the heart that kills them.

"Iraqi insurgent? Chechen wolf? Too bad, thank bin Laden's Lt. for what's about to happen to you."

I expect and demand all my people follow the ROE, the QR&O (Queen's Rules and Orders), and the GC. I demand the same of my American allies to follow their ROEs, the UCMJ, and the GC. Those are the standing orders and I expect and demand that they be adhered to without exception although turning a blind eye here and there when the rules are skirted instead of being broken wouldn't hurt any.

As for AQ, Iraqi martyr wannabes, etc, etc, bury them alive for all I care but I do not want the honour and the dignity of our peoples be soiled by dispicable acts. If die, they must, do it by the numbers. Give them their due process and line them up against the wall. I want to give them a clean death not for any mercy reasons but because I want to keep us professional instead of becoming dirty, rotten, and in the end, a whole lot less ineffective.

[Jay]

Cuttin 10 ALQ men in to pieces is not gonna help/deter them from beheading another American.

They are just brainwashed thugs, The pests shud be elimanated ASAP, alas I dunno how!!

[Trooth]

Show the tape on CNN for all those outraged at the prison hazings and all the left wing terrorist apologists. Maybe they'd straighten up and fly right if they saw how harsh reality can be.

Sadly those that committed this atrocity claim it is retaliation for the torturing by the US soldiers (at least that was on the news report i saw - forget were).

I don't have an answer, but it seems we are, even if inadvertently, finding ways to give solace to our enemies.

I'd also recomend beheading ten al-qaeda prisoners for every one American that is killed like that. And use the old far east torture "death by 10,000 cuts" on every terrorist leader we capture if they don't stop doing that to our people. Minus the stab to the heart that kills them.

"Iraqi insurgent? Chechen wolf? Too bad, thank bin Laden's Lt. for what's about to happen to you."

We can't descend though. We can't go ten for one and use such tactics. Theya re the tactics that we are trying to liberate these people from. Even if we want to go one for one we have to follow due process.

Speech given to troops hours before the invasion of Iraq :-

"THE enemy should be in no doubt that we are his Nemesis and that we are bringing about his rightful destruction.
There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of Hell for Saddam. As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place.

Show them no pity.

But those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send.

As for the others, I expect you to rock their world.

We go to liberate, not to conquer.

We will not fly our flags in their country.

We are entering Iraq to free a people, and the only flag that will be flown in that ancient land is their own.

Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country.

I know men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts. They live with the mark of Cain upon them.

If someone surrenders to you, then remember they have that right in international law, and ensure that one day they go home to their family.

The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please.

If there are casualties of war, then remember, when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day.

Allow them dignity in death. Bury them properly, and mark their graves.

You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down history.

Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood, and the birth of Abraham. Tread lightly there.

You will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality, even though they have nothing ...

There may be people among us who will not see the end of this campaign. We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back.

There will be no time for sorrow.

Let us leave Iraq a better place for us having been there.

Our business now, is north. "

LtCol Tim Collins
Commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment

[Confed999]

Find them and kill them.

[Leader]

Find them and kill them.

Agreed.

[ChrisF202]

Have any Muslim nations signed the Geneva Convention?

[Leader]

Have any Muslim nations signed the Geneva Convention?

Do they care?

[ChrisF202]

Do they care?

Thats why I asked, even if they did sign, they dont abide by it. It seems that they never abide by the rules of war, have they ever not mistreated POWs?

[Ray]

Totally disgusting. These people must be caught, tried and sentenced to death.

I still maintain that we should not emulate Al Qeada since that would not make us any better than them. I am confident that we are 100% superior in morals than them and should them that their archaic and brutal laws have no place in modern society.

Because a pig stays in a dirty pigs sty, it doesn't mean we make our homes pig stys and being into our home the disease.

[Officer of Engineers]

Have any Muslim nations signed the Geneva Convention?

Turkey, Iran, Algeria, Eygpt, Jordan, through the inherited treaties of the former USSR, ALL the Central Asian "S'tans."

Note, just because they signed it does not mean that they'll observe it - ie withess Vietnam and today's US's 800th MP Bde.

[Trooth]

Thats why I asked, even if they did sign, they dont abide by it. It seems that they never abide by the rules of war, have they ever not mistreated POWs?

As far as i am concerned it matters not. We are supposed to be liberating a people from leaders who did not respect such things. No matter what our enemies do, in this respect, we must stick to our principles. To do anything else just simply proves the murderers right and wastes the lives of those who have died fighting for some beliefs that we are now prepared to discard.

[Aryan]

Savages...best way forward is not to treat them as human