A Baghdad priest abducted by unknown assailants
On Monday 17/07/2006, 10:30 a.m. Father Raad Washan Sawa was abducted by unknown assailants in al-Karada district. The three kidnappers stopped the taxi which was transporting Father Sawa, and forced him out of the taxi to the back of their car where they forced him down, and then they took him to one of the houses used for such operations.
Father Sawa said:" They blindfolded my eyes and left me there till mid-night, when a group came in and they began to burn my hands with cigarettes and blows to the head while they insulted me with obscene words. Then they searched me and took my watch and cell phone. They left me there until the morning while there was a continuous screaming all night".
Father Sawa continues:" In the morning, a second group came in, they seemed to be responsible for collecting ransoms; they hit me again and requested $200000 U.S. A little while later they came back, put me in a car emphasizing that I should prepare the money and that they would pass another time to collect. I wasn't able to recognize where we were going when all of a sudden I found myself on the express way in al-Qanat area and I was thrown at the side of the road".
Father Sawa continued:" This is all that happened to me at the hands of those people. I don’t know where they are from, nor to which group they belong. I ask every one to pray so that such minds can be enlightened, and for our beloved homeland Iraq to have safety and peace".
Copyright © 2006 by Assyria National Assembly. All rights reserved.