Australian hostage released in Iraq

The Australian hostage Douglas Wood thanked the Iraqi forces over its help in releasing him in Iraq. In a speech read on his behalf by the Australian official for fighting terrorism Nick Warner, Wood expressed his great happiness to have his freedom once again.

Warner said that no ransom was paid to release Wood despite the fact that the kidnappers requested a large sum of money.

Iraqi Lt. Gen. Nasser Abbadi said that the Iraqi forces found the Australian hostage when it broke into a house in al-Ghazaleyah quarters in Baghdad and pulled out a blanket that the kidnappers of wood said it covers their sick father.

However, the Mufti of Australia Sheikh Taj Eddine al- Hilali said that the release of the Australian Wood came as a result of an agreement negotiated upon, rather as a result of a military operation, noting that the handing over operation took place in al-Ramadi city.