Video of the hostages re-released to contain sound
Photo: AP
'We hope to be out of here soon'
Iraqi jihad group re-releases hostage video to include audio statements of cowed captives; Canadian hostage says 'we are being treated well, we hope to be out of here soon,' bound British hostage calls on Tony Blair to pull British forces out of Iraq
Iraqi jihad group the Swords of Righteousness Brigade have re-released a disturbing video of four Christian peace activists being held hostage at an unknown location.
Unlike the first recording, the second footage release of the hostages contains sound, and statements by the cowed hostages can be heard in which the men say they are being "treated well," Ynetnews has learned.
The video can be accessed from the infovlad.net website, which frequently posts videos made by Islamist organizations from around the world, with an emphasis on Iraq.
"Thank you very much, we are being treated well, and we hope to be out of here soon," says one of the Canadian hostages, Harmeet Singh Sooden. He added: "We are all being treated well; we are sleeping ok. And we would like to thank the people holding us for that, and hopefully we will be home soon." A similar statement was made by the second Canadian hostage, James Lonely.
Two additional hostages from the United States and Britain are then seen standing in jumpsuits, with their hands and feet bound.
"I ask Mr. Blair to take British troops out of Iraq, and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government," said the British hostage, Norman Kember, who is 74.
"As a representative of Christian Peace Maker Teams, we feel that continued British and American occupation is not in the best interest of the Iraqi people," said Tom Fox, the American hostage.
The camera then grimly showed images of the backs of the handcuffed men as they stood passively. A woman's voice can also be heard in the distant background.
The men were kidnapped in Baghdad, and the Swords of Righteousness group, whose logo of crossed swords appears in the top right hand of the screen, has threatened to murder the hostages.
