British contractor Gary Teeley, seized by suspected militants in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya last week, was handed over to U.S.-led forces on Sunday, officials said.
| "Hmmm... They're wearing masks and waving guns. They've just taken hostages. Legume, I suspect these are militants!" |
"He is in the hands of American and Italian forces in Nassiriya as we speak. We'll be making sure that he is flown out of the country and back to Britain as soon as possible," said a senior source in the coalition forces. Teeley was one of a number of foreigners who have been kidnapped or gone missing in Iraq in the past week.
| "... coincidentally all at once. We've no idea why." |
Arab satellite news channel Al Jazeera reported that local tribes had been involved in negotiating his freedom. Italian Army Lieutenant Colonel Moneduro told Sky News the operation to free Teeley began at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday with an attack on the military headquarters of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi army.
| "'Atsa pretty effective negotiations!" |
"After two other kinds of operations and investigations we put some pressure on these armed groups and also through negotiations we arrived at the release of Mr Gary Teeley," Moneduro said.
"This is Big Rocco. He'll be asking you some questions."
"Ummm... What's with the ax?" |
He denied reports Teeley had been found tied up. "He was released by this armed militia and he was delivered to our forces," Moneduro said, adding Teeley would likely be able to leave Iraq on Monday morning.
| "Cheeze! It's Big Rocco! Ditch the hostage!" |
Terry Teeley, a cousin of the British contractor, told Sky News television: "(The news has) still not sunk in at the moment. I am just grinning from ear to ear. I am so happy." The senior coalition source said Teeley was being looked after at Talil air base, a huge military complex near Nassiriya which houses American and Italian forces, from where military flights regularly leave for Europe and the United States. Teeley, 37, is a consultant for a laundry firm and has lived and worked extensively in the Middle East. It was not clear exactly what work Teeley had been doing in Iraq.
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