[January 06, 2006] EX-HOSTAGE MAKES TV PLEA FOR RELEASE OF NZ PEACE ACTIVIST Tweet (New Zealand Press Association Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Auckland, Jan 6 NZPA - An Australian aid worker who was held hostage in Iraq last year is making an appeal on Al Jazeera television for kidnappers to free New Zealand-based peace activist Harmeet Sooden. Donna Mulhearn, who describes herself as a close friend of Mr Sooden, is scheduled to make her appeal on Al Jazeera within the next 24 hours along with Keysar Trad of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia. Mr Sooden, a 32-year-old Canadian citizen who studies at Auckland University, was kidnapped five weeks ago along with Canadian James Loney, American Tom Fox and Norman Kember of Britain. The quartet were part of a Christian team promoting peace and an end to the United States presence in Iraq. Ms Mulhearn, who was briefly held captive by insurgents in Fallujah last year, said she had worked alongside three of the four, including Mr Sooden. ``We want those who have Harmeet, Jim, Tom and Norman to know that they are friends of Iraq and came to help Iraqis,'' Ms Mulhearn said. ``We know them well. We have seen them at work; we have witnessed their commitment to Iraq and their desire for the occupation to end.'' Ms Mulhearn said Mr Sooden was a peaceful man committed to helping those who are suffering under occupation. ``He learned a lot about the suffering of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation and that's one reason he decided to go to Iraq, to learn more about the life of Iraqis under United States occupation,'' she said. ``He wanted to help Iraqis to reveal the truth about the situation, so that other people around the world would understand their suffering. ``He said he wanted to see the end the US occupation of Iraq, so the Iraqi people could be free. ``We hope that those who are holding the four can release them soon so that they can continue their good work.'' Mr Trad said taking friends of Iraq hostage was contrary to the tradition of Arab and Islamic chivalry and hospitality. ``It strengthens the case of the enemies of the Iraqi people who are trying to maintain the occupation,'' he said. ``I appeal to those holding Harmeet, Jim, Tom and Norman to release them unharmed forthwith.'' NZPA AKL ajb kn [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]