diamond
ONE love, blood, life
I suspect more Iraqis will soon follow this brave lawyer's example.
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OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
Local man helped
with Lynch rescue
Nasiryah lawyer gave Marines info on hospital, security
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 3, 2003
6:27 p.m. Eastern
An Iraqi lawyer and his family provided the U.S. military with critical information about the whereabouts of former POW Pfc. Jessica Lynch, enabling her to be rescued, according to a report on the Marines website.
The Iraqi is being identified only as "Mohammad" for his own protection.
"I came to the hospital to visit my wife," said the man whose wife was a nurse. "I could see much more security than normal."
Mohammad says he asked one of the doctors why the hospital had increased security.
"He told me there was a woman American soldier there," Mohammad said.
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch smiles following her rescue by Special Forces
He says he then went looking for the American, who was in the hospital suffering from two broken legs and a broken arm, injuries presumably suffered during a firefight preceding her capture on March 23. Peering through the window of her hospital room, he witnessed and Iraqi colonel slapping Lynch.
"My heart stopped," Mohammad said. "I knew then I must help her be saved. I decided I must go to tell the Americans."
Mohammad, a Nasiryah resident, walked 10 kilometers to inform U.S. Marines that the 19-year-old woman was being held in the town's Saddam Hussein Hospital.
He says he approached a U.S. checkpoint with his hands high in the air.
"[A Marine sentry] asked, 'What you want?' " Mohammad said. "I want to help you. I want to tell you important information ? about Jessica!"
According to the report, the Marines to whom Mohammad talked gave him instructions to return to the hospital and take note of the number of guards, the hospital's layout and other details.
After he went back to the hospital, Mohammad, as Lynch's captors discussed amputating her leg, leaned down to the prisoner and whispered, "Don't worry."
The Iraqi informant carefully recorded information about the hospital and the security forces guarding Lynch.
"I went to see the security," he said. "I watched where they stood, where they sat, where they ate and when they slept."
The Iraqi family that provided information for POW rescue.
According to the Marines report, while Mohammad was observing the security, his wife and 6-year-old child were visited by some of Saddam's security agents. The family members reportedly fled, but many of their possessions and their car were seized.
During the days he was making notes about Lynch's situation, Mohammad says he never failed to greet her each morning with "good morning" in English.
When reporting back to the Marines on March 30, he brought five different maps he and his wife had made, said the report. He was able to point to the exact room in which the captured soldier was being held. He also handed over the security layout, reaction plan and times that shift changes occurred.
Thanks to the information from Mohammad, the Marines were able to determine that a helicopter could be landed on the hospital's roof to rescue the woman. She was plucked out of the facility on April 1 and now is in a medical facility in Germany.
"Iraq is not a safe place while Saddam Hussein is in power," Mohammad said. "He kills the Iraqi people whenever he wants. I believe the Americans will bring peace and security to the people of Iraq."
Mohammad and his family reportedly have been granted refugee status. His wife says she would like to volunteer to help injured American forces.
"America came here to help us," he said. "The Marines are brave men. They have been gentle with the Iraqi people. They are taking out Saddam Hussein. For that, we're grateful."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
Local man helped
with Lynch rescue
Nasiryah lawyer gave Marines info on hospital, security
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 3, 2003
6:27 p.m. Eastern
An Iraqi lawyer and his family provided the U.S. military with critical information about the whereabouts of former POW Pfc. Jessica Lynch, enabling her to be rescued, according to a report on the Marines website.
The Iraqi is being identified only as "Mohammad" for his own protection.
"I came to the hospital to visit my wife," said the man whose wife was a nurse. "I could see much more security than normal."
Mohammad says he asked one of the doctors why the hospital had increased security.
"He told me there was a woman American soldier there," Mohammad said.
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch smiles following her rescue by Special Forces
He says he then went looking for the American, who was in the hospital suffering from two broken legs and a broken arm, injuries presumably suffered during a firefight preceding her capture on March 23. Peering through the window of her hospital room, he witnessed and Iraqi colonel slapping Lynch.
"My heart stopped," Mohammad said. "I knew then I must help her be saved. I decided I must go to tell the Americans."
Mohammad, a Nasiryah resident, walked 10 kilometers to inform U.S. Marines that the 19-year-old woman was being held in the town's Saddam Hussein Hospital.
He says he approached a U.S. checkpoint with his hands high in the air.
"[A Marine sentry] asked, 'What you want?' " Mohammad said. "I want to help you. I want to tell you important information ? about Jessica!"
According to the report, the Marines to whom Mohammad talked gave him instructions to return to the hospital and take note of the number of guards, the hospital's layout and other details.
After he went back to the hospital, Mohammad, as Lynch's captors discussed amputating her leg, leaned down to the prisoner and whispered, "Don't worry."
The Iraqi informant carefully recorded information about the hospital and the security forces guarding Lynch.
"I went to see the security," he said. "I watched where they stood, where they sat, where they ate and when they slept."
The Iraqi family that provided information for POW rescue.
According to the Marines report, while Mohammad was observing the security, his wife and 6-year-old child were visited by some of Saddam's security agents. The family members reportedly fled, but many of their possessions and their car were seized.
During the days he was making notes about Lynch's situation, Mohammad says he never failed to greet her each morning with "good morning" in English.
When reporting back to the Marines on March 30, he brought five different maps he and his wife had made, said the report. He was able to point to the exact room in which the captured soldier was being held. He also handed over the security layout, reaction plan and times that shift changes occurred.
Thanks to the information from Mohammad, the Marines were able to determine that a helicopter could be landed on the hospital's roof to rescue the woman. She was plucked out of the facility on April 1 and now is in a medical facility in Germany.
"Iraq is not a safe place while Saddam Hussein is in power," Mohammad said. "He kills the Iraqi people whenever he wants. I believe the Americans will bring peace and security to the people of Iraq."
Mohammad and his family reportedly have been granted refugee status. His wife says she would like to volunteer to help injured American forces.
"America came here to help us," he said. "The Marines are brave men. They have been gentle with the Iraqi people. They are taking out Saddam Hussein. For that, we're grateful."
A man in her place would have been in the same dire need of a rescue. Anyway..here is another article I read this morning.
