Released on = December 2, 2005, 3:51 pm

Press Release Author = Old Catholic Church of Great Britain

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = Old Catholic Church Leader calls upon The Swords of
Righteousness Brigade to show mercy and release their hostages

Press Release Body = A previously unknown militant group called The Swords of
Righteousness Brigade has released a harrowing statement demanding the release of
all prisoners in U.S. and Iraqi detention centres by the 8th of December, a failure
of which, will consequence in the execution of four hostages in their grip.

A video broadcast by Al-Jazeera television accompanying the statement showed two
Canadian hostages, An American and a Briton, all looking very frightened but urging
the U.S. and British governments to withdraw from Iraq.

All four hostages, Tom Fox, 54, of Clear Brook, Va, USA.; Norman Kember, 74, of
London; James Loney, 41, of Toronto; and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, of Canada - have
always maintained the Christian message of peace.

Archbishop Gary Beaver has appealed to the kidnappers to show mercy, and release
these men. He stated "Look into your conscious, do you want the blood of four
innocent men on your hands, men who have done nothing but support your beliefs of an
Iraq free of war, how does this offend you? These men are not your prisoners of war,
they are peace activists, and you have seized them like lambs."

The men had moved around Iraq without bodyguards, and were seized in the same place
where Giuliana Sgrena, a reporter for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, was seized
on February 4th.

"The religion of Islam", said Archbishop Gary Beaver, "does not promote the
slaughter of innocents, killing one life is akin to killing humanity itself, but to
show mercy and spare the life of one, is likened to sparing the lives of all the
people, The world is not blind to the plight of Iraq, nor are we immune to the daily
pain of the Muslims of Iraq"

Referring to the identity of the group, Archbishop Gary Beaver stated" righteousness
cannot be attained through the act of murder.
Please don't let the scars of war harden your hearts to the innocent men you have
kidnapped. They are sons, they are husbands, they are brothers.
In the name of God, please give them back to their families."

Old Catholics in Britain gathered today to hold evening mass with special prayers
for the hostages.


Web Site = http://www.oldcatholic.co.uk

Contact Details = frimley hse
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frimley
surrey
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uk
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