Christian peace activists in Iraq rescued

Good news:

Three Christian peace activists kidnapped last year in Iraq were freed on Thursday in a morning raid by multi-national forces in western Baghdad.

Fears for the three men – two Canadians and a Briton – grew two weeks ago after a fellow hostage was found dead in a Baghdad street.

Military officials said none of the kidnappers was present during the raid, and that no shots were fired.

[…]

Jack Straw, the British foreign secretary, said the rescue followed “weeks and weeks of very careful work by military and coalition personnel in Iraq and many civilians.”

However, Major General Rick Lynch, a US military spokesman in Baghdad, said a breakthrough came on Wednesday night after the arrest of two people, one of whom gave information that led to the raid.

Norman Kember, 74, of London, James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, were seized in Baghdad in November along with Tom Fox, a US citizen whose body was found two weeks ago.

Mr Kember was said to be in “reasonable condition” while the two Canadians were taken to hospital. Maj. Gen. Lynch said the hostages had been found bound, alone and “in good condition.”