Kember: It's great to be free
Kember: It's great to be free
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Thursday, 23, Mar 2006 09:19
British hostage Norman Kember said it is "great to be free" after he was released from captivity in Iraq along with two Canadian colleagues.
The 74-year-old has been held hostage by a group calling themselves the Swords of Righteousness Brigade since November 26th last year.
But he has today been released along with two Canadians taken captive at the same time after a planned operation by coalition forces.
And in a brief statement as he recovered from his ordeal at the British embassy in Baghdad, Mr Kember said: "It's great to be free and I'm looking forward to getting back to the UK."
Speaking this morning, Jack Straw said that Mr Kember was in a "reasonable condition" and was now recovering in Baghdad's high-security Green Zone.
Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, required hospital treatment following their release, he added.
"Norman Kember and two Canadian hostages have been released as a result of a multinational force operation which took place earlier today," Mr Straw confirmed this morning.
"British forces were involved in this operation. It follows weeks and weeks of very careful work by military coalition personnel in Iraq and many civilians as well."
He added: "I'm delighted we now have a happy ending to this terrible ordeal for Norman, for his family, for the Canadian hostages and their families as well. I spoke to Mrs Kember this morning, and it goes without saying that she is absolutely delighted, elated with this news."
The body of an American also taken captive, Tom Fox, was found earlier this month after he was executed by the hostage-takers and Mr Straw went on to say that it was a "matter of great sorrow" that the 54-year-old was not with the released hostages.
Mr Kember, from Pinner, north-west London, is a retired professor. The passing of his 100th day in captivity was marked by vigils in central London earlier this month.
A video aired on Arabic television station al-Jazeera on March 7th showed Mr Kember, along with the two Canadians from the Christian Peacemaker Teams but Mr Fox was not shown.