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24/03/2006
Norman Kember to return to UK
The wife of British hostage Norman Kember, who is reported to be on his way back to the UK, has spoken of her joy at the release of her husband after four months of being held captive in Iraq.
Pat Kember told a radio station in New Zealand that she was "thrilled" that her peace activist husband had been freed, along with two Canadian colleagues.
Speaking from her home in Pinner, north west London, Mrs Kember admitted that she thought her husband was "a bit silly" in wanting to go to Iraq, but she said that she never expected him to be kidnapped. She told the radio station: "I thought he might be blown up by a bomb, I did not really expect him to be taken hostage.
"On the other hand, I knew he felt he must do something and he is getting old."
Mr Kember, 74, a retired professor, was kidnapped along with Canadian citizens James Loney, 41 and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 and American Tom Fox, 54, last November in Baghdad.
All four men had been working for the Christian Peacemaker Teams charity.
Mr Kember and the two Canadian hostages were freed yesterday following an operation led by British forces.
The body of Mr Fox was found in Baghdad two weeks ago. He had been tortured and shot dead.
A previously unknown group calling themselves the Swords of Righteousness Brigade had abducted the men. They had threatened to kill all the men unless all Iraqi prisoners were released.
Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to the troops involved in the rescue of the hostages, praising their "extraordinary courage, dedication and commitment".
(KMcA)
Pat Kember told a radio station in New Zealand that she was "thrilled" that her peace activist husband had been freed, along with two Canadian colleagues.
Speaking from her home in Pinner, north west London, Mrs Kember admitted that she thought her husband was "a bit silly" in wanting to go to Iraq, but she said that she never expected him to be kidnapped. She told the radio station: "I thought he might be blown up by a bomb, I did not really expect him to be taken hostage.
"On the other hand, I knew he felt he must do something and he is getting old."
Mr Kember, 74, a retired professor, was kidnapped along with Canadian citizens James Loney, 41 and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 and American Tom Fox, 54, last November in Baghdad.
All four men had been working for the Christian Peacemaker Teams charity.
Mr Kember and the two Canadian hostages were freed yesterday following an operation led by British forces.
The body of Mr Fox was found in Baghdad two weeks ago. He had been tortured and shot dead.
A previously unknown group calling themselves the Swords of Righteousness Brigade had abducted the men. They had threatened to kill all the men unless all Iraqi prisoners were released.
Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to the troops involved in the rescue of the hostages, praising their "extraordinary courage, dedication and commitment".
(KMcA)
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09 December 2005
Fears grow as hostage deadline looms
There have been fresh calls for the release of four peace activists, including Briton Norman Kember, being held hostage in Iraq. Moazzam Begg, a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay centre, has urged the kidnappers to release the hostages.
Fears grow as hostage deadline looms
There have been fresh calls for the release of four peace activists, including Briton Norman Kember, being held hostage in Iraq. Moazzam Begg, a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay centre, has urged the kidnappers to release the hostages.
08 December 2005
Foreign Secretary calls for Iraq hostage release
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has repeated calls for the release of four peace activists in Iraq, as their kidnappers announced that the deadline for their execution had been extended.
Foreign Secretary calls for Iraq hostage release
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has repeated calls for the release of four peace activists in Iraq, as their kidnappers announced that the deadline for their execution had been extended.
07 December 2005
Hostage pleads for troop withdrawal in Iraq
British hostage Norman Kember has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw British troops from Iraq in a new video. The video, which was shown on the Internet, showed Mr Kember, 74, in handcuffs and shackles, along with the three other hostages, seized along with him in Baghdad nearly two weeks ago.
Hostage pleads for troop withdrawal in Iraq
British hostage Norman Kember has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw British troops from Iraq in a new video. The video, which was shown on the Internet, showed Mr Kember, 74, in handcuffs and shackles, along with the three other hostages, seized along with him in Baghdad nearly two weeks ago.
01 December 2005
Anti-war campaigner intervenes in hostage crisis
A British anti-war campaigner is travelling to Iraq in an attempt to secure the release of peace activist Norman Kember. Anas Altikriti will fly to Iraq on Friday to attempt to appeal directly for the release of Mr Kember and three other hostages.
Anti-war campaigner intervenes in hostage crisis
A British anti-war campaigner is travelling to Iraq in an attempt to secure the release of peace activist Norman Kember. Anas Altikriti will fly to Iraq on Friday to attempt to appeal directly for the release of Mr Kember and three other hostages.
05 December 2005
Iraq hostage's wife makes TV appeal
The wife of British man Norman Kember, who was kidnapped in Iraq last week, has made an appeal begging his captors to release him. In a video broadcast on Arabic television network al-Jazeera, Pat Kember described her husband as a man who believed in peace and who had only gone to Iraq to help its people.
Iraq hostage's wife makes TV appeal
The wife of British man Norman Kember, who was kidnapped in Iraq last week, has made an appeal begging his captors to release him. In a video broadcast on Arabic television network al-Jazeera, Pat Kember described her husband as a man who believed in peace and who had only gone to Iraq to help its people.
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