Iraq's Sadr movement frees former US soldier

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian/Reuters

Followers of Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have freed a US former soldier after holding him captive in Baghdad for nine months.

The American, identified as Randy Michaels, was shown on television in a US military uniform with no insignia, flanked by two members of parliament from Sadr's movement, including the first deputy speaker.

The politicians described him as an American soldier, but Michaels said he was a former service member working in a civilian capacity at the time he was captured, last June.

He said he had been held by the Yom al-Maoud, or Promised Day Brigade, an offshoot of Sadr's Mehdi Army militia that remained armed after Sadr disbanded most Mehdi Army units in 2008.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/17/iraq-sadr-us-soldier

[alfredo]

1. Good get him out of there.

[Johnp1]

5. This Guy is a Thief

Hate to tell you this guy is a thief in 2005 I was working for KBR at the same time Rand Hultz was he was KBR security at the time not now. he had started an investment club that contractors and US Soldiers could invest in Dinar and or the Iraq Stock Exchange. He took in over a Million Dollars and then years ago disappeared stopped all contact and took off with the money. I know because I'm one of these suckers. So when the news is saying murky that's right I personally think and I'm speaking from personal knowledge that this whole kid napping thing is just a way for him to try and stop running. But until this guy returns the money to me and many others he is nothing but a THIEF.

[alfredo]

6. Now his victims will have a crack at him in the courts.

[MADem]

2. Very unusual.

No corporate affiliation listed, either.

Very unusual, indeed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. His name seems in a bit of doubt

Purported US citizen released to UN in Iraq
...
In an interview with The Associated Press, senior Sadrist official Abdul Hadi al-Mutairi said the man was a U.S. soldier named Michael Hill who was captured June 18.

Al-Mutairi said the man was wearing an American military uniform when he was delivered to the U.N.

Several U.S. officials said he is a private contractor, not an active-duty soldier, although he may have previously served in the U.S. military.

http://news.yahoo.com/purported-us-citizen-released-un-iraq-192111225.html

Followers of Iraqi
Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr handed over a captive American
soldier to the United Nations alive on Saturday, two senior
officials in Sadr's movement said.

The officials said the soldier, whom they named phonetically
as Randy Michael or Randy Michael Hill, had been handed over to
the U.N. mission in Iraq. A spokeswoman for the U.N. mission
said she was not immediately able to comment.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-rt-iraq-usasoldier--update-1l5e8eh0mu-20120317,0,360978.story

[MADem]

4. And the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions! Good luck, Mister Phelps!

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