Baghdad, Iraq – Four Americans and an Austrian abducted in November in southern Iraq spoke briefly and appeared uninjured in a video believed to have been recorded nearly two weeks ago and delivered Wednesday to The Associated Press.
The men – security contractors for the Crescent Security Group based in Kuwait – appeared separately on the edited video, and three of them said they were being treated well. They were kidnapped Nov. 16 when suspected militiamen in Iraqi police uniforms ambushed a convoy of trucks being escorted by Crescent Security near the southern border city of Safwan.
“My name is John R. Young,” one captive in a blue and white sweatsuit said in the video. “I’m 44 years old. I’m from Kansas City, Mo. The date is 21 December, 2006. I’m well. My friends are well. We’ve been treated well.”
Another man identified himself as Jon Cote of Buffalo, N.Y. Fidgeting and appearing uncomfortable, he said, “I can’t be released until the prisoners from the American jails and the British jails are released.”
The captives were dressed in civilian clothes and spoke in a flat, impassive tone. Several had their hands folded in their laps.
The other men identified themselves as Paul Johnson Reuben of Buffalo, Minn.; Josh Munz, 23, of Redding, Calif.; and Bert Nussbaumer of Austria.
The kidnappers were not seen or heard in the video. It was unclear whether they were holding the contractors to put political pressure on American-led occupation forces and the Iraqi government or were seeking a ransom. U.S.-led forces have conducted raids in an effort to rescue the men.
