Release Harmeet Singh Sooden,
Jim Loney and other hostages
MCC's appeal to the kidnappers of the CPT Four

TORONTO - The Muslim Canadian Congress has made an urgent appeal to those holding Canadians Harmeet Singh Sooden and Jim Loney to show compassion and release the two men immediately.

The MCC joined other well-known figures in the anti-war movement, including authors Arundhati Roy, Tariq Ali, Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn in urging the hostage holders to spare the lives of the of four members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Baghdad.

The MCC statement said, "More than once Christian Peacemakers have placed themselves in front of the occupation's tanks, and have confronted Israeli occupation bulldozers with their bodies defending Palestinians' homes against destruction...Because of what they were doing, the CPT members were subjected to arrest, beating and pursuit by the Israeli soldiers and settlers in more than one location in Palestine."

"We appeal to the members of the Iraqi resistance holding the CPT members to instantly and quickly release the four kidnapped persons in appreciation for their role in standing beside and supporting oppressed peoples around the world."

The MCC condemns the use of kidnapping and torture whether it is done by covert American CIA operatives or by the Iraqi resistance. Kidnapping people and threatening to kill them, is immoral, cowardly and contrary to Islamic teachings. Whether it was kidnapping of Daniel Pearl or that of Harmeet Sooden and Jim Loney, the MCC believes these acts do nothing to help the cause of Muslims anywhere in the world.

It is sad that the Iraqi resistance would target the Christian Peacemakers. The CPT came to Iraq in October 2002 to oppose the U.S. invasion and has remained to document the horrors faced by Iraqis under foreign occupation. Their work includes interviewing Iraqis detained in U.S.-run prisons and detention centers, and telling these stories to the world. The CPT was among the first to document the torture at Abu Ghraib prison.

We condemn the practice of kidnapping and killing, no matter whether it is by friend or foe. Taking the law into one's hands and implementing vigilante justice, even in a war zone, is not acceptable. The Iraqi Resistance should not descend to the law of the jungle that the US has imposed on Iraq.

There is no question that the current crisis in Iraq is the direct result of the actions of the Anglo-American illegal invasion of Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people. If any harm comes to Harmeet Singh Sooden or Jim Loney, the British and American government will as much responsible for their fate as the kidnappers of these two Canadians.

To sign a petition for the release of the four Christian Peacemakers, please add your signature to the statement at http://www.freethecpt.org.