Do not forget the Missing Five

29 May 2008 marks one year since five British hostages have been held in captivity in Iraq, possibly Iran.

At noon on 29 May 2007, five British security guards employed by GardaWorld, a Canadian-owned security company, and a computer specialist working for BearingPoint, the US-based management consultancy firm, were kidnapped at gunpoint in Iraq. The kidnap occurred in broad daylight in central Baghdad. Dozens of men in police uniform seized them from a Finance Ministry building off Palestine Street. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair then said, “We will do everything we possibly can to help.” A month later, there were still signs of activity aimed at recovering the hostages. Subsequently news went cold. Early in September the story resurfaced, when on the eve of their 100th day in captivity Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, was quoted saying, “We track every day where we think they might be. We have reason to think they are still alive.” This was more of a reply to a join-plea by the families of the victims than a periodic update on their faith. ‘They are sons, fathers and brothers who were working to support us’, the families’ plea stated. The Foreign Office went on to remind the media ‘not to publish the names or personal details of those who have been kidnapped. The situation remains that all information can potentially be of use to their abductors and endanger the captives.’ The opposite, i.e. the lack of information, has also worked to the kidnapers’ advantage. Upon the release of a video of the men late in November, the Foreign Office was reported noting that “although there is much going on behind the scenes, it is extremely sensitive and we can’t go into details about it.” A year on, Canon Andrew White, the Anglican vicar of Baghdad, Lord Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, and the hostages’ families continue to work frantically to secure the Missing Five’s freedom.

Where there is a political will, often there is a way

Their safe release will not turn around the approval ratings of Prime Minister Gordon Brown or President George W. Bush. It would neither be a story sexy enough to spin as yet another set of freshly released humanitarian tourists. However, it would give their life back to families paralyzed by the crisis. Please do not forget the Missing Five.

Permalink at PrivateMilitary.org: click here

If you live in the UK, contact your MP and express your concern about the faith of the Missing Five British contractors: click here

If you live in Canada, contact your MP and express your concern about missing British workers employed by a Canadian-owned firm: click here

If you live in the US, contact your Congressperson and express your concern about five missing British contractors who were working on the reconstruction of Iraq: click here

Write to Senator John McCain: click here

Write to Senator Barack Obama: click here

Write to Senator Hillary Cinton: click here