- Roy Hallums
Roy Hallums (born
June 23 ,1948 ) is an American contractor who waskidnap ped inIraq onNovember 1 ,2004 . He was held in Iraq for 311 days and freed onSeptember 7 ,2005 . [ [http://www.geocities.com/frayser69/aroyhallumjr.html Roy Hallums Jr. Postings] ]Life
Hallums grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1971 he married Susan Hallums, and they had a daughter, Carrie Anne. The couple
divorce d in 2003 but remained good friends. Hallums had been working inSaudi Arabia since 1993 and eventually came to work for the Saudi Arabian Trading and Construction Co. After the outbreak of war with Iraq, Hallums went toBaghdad , where his company provided food for theIraqi Army . Now after being released from his captives, he is settled down in Memphis,TN.Captivity
On
November 1 ,2004 , 20 gunmen stormed the compound where Hallums and his co-workers were working, in the upscaleMansour District of Baghdad. Hallums was taken hostage along withRoberto Tarongoy of thePhilippines ,Inus Dewari ofNepal , and three Iraqis. Dewari and the Iraqis were later released soon after their abduction.On
December 18 , American diplomats identified Hallums as the American kidnapped on November 1. His family had pleaded for his release weeks before, however, and Hallums had been identified on several websites.His daughter Carrie Anne Cooper soon set up a website [http://royhallums.4t.com/] asking for Roy's release. His family also appealed for his release on
Al Jazeera .A
videotape of Hallums was released by insurgents onJanuary 25 ,2005 . It is unclear when the tape was made. Hallums had a long beard, and was seated with a gun pointed at his head. "I have been arrested by a resistance group in Iraq," Hallums said. "I am asking for help because my life is in danger, because it has been proved that I work for American forces."Hallums didn't appeal to American President Bush but did to
Libya n presidentMuammar al-Gaddafi to help earn his release. Gaddafi later called for Hallum's release.Roberto Tarongoy was freed on
June 23 ,2005 . Tarongoy said that he thought Hallums was still alive, and said the kidnappers demanded $12 million dollars.Liberation
Hallums was freed on
September 7 ,2005 , along with an Iraqi captive, when American troops raided a farmhouse 15 miles south of Baghdad. The location was apparently given by an Iraqi detainee. When coalition troops arrived, the kidnappers had fled.Altogether, Roy Hallums had been captive ten months and seven days. He said that he had been bound and gagged for much of the time, but doctors described him as being in "good health." After his release, he called his daughter and identified himself by saying "This is Dad."
The freed hostage also delivered this statement: "I want to thank all of those who were involved in my rescue -- to those who continuously tracked my captors and location, and to those who physically brought me freedom today. To all of you, I will be forever grateful."
References
External links
* [http://royhallums.4t.com/ Roy's Home Page]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/25/iraq.main/ US hostage pleads for life in tape]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/09/07/hostage.freed/index.html Roy Hallums is freed]
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