(the date on this post is intentionally wrong to keep it at the top)

Raed's Blog
Khalid's Mother
Khalid's blog

Today I logged on to http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com, Raed Jarrar's blog. I do this everytime I connect to the net, because keeping up to date with events in Iraq is one of my favourite passtimes. Today I saw something that scared, suprised and relieved me.

I had failed to get replies from Khalid with my last emails, and was wondering why... I thought maybe it had to do with him being in Ammam, but then he went back to Baghdad as his blog (http://secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com states, after his house was robbed..... They took the hard-drive from his computer, and this makes me think it could have been the 'government'. Maybe they have problems with what his family are doing, bringing in thousands of dollars of medical supplies to suffering people. Or maybe their blogs are classified as "terrorist related websites".

Khalid Jarrar is a good man, and my friend. A person who from my view wanted to help make things better, and was in no way related to terrorist activities. - Maybe he bought some petrol on the blackmarket, maybe he owned a gun, but in Iraq... Who doesn't????

Khalid has (since July 10) been abducted by the mokhabarat (government agents).......... He is being held in a Jail cell like a prisoner or a criminal.
He was taken from his university.

I hope Khalid is released and not abused or harmed in anyway. And I will do whatever it takes to ensure he is released safely, the media here in Perth will run with this story, if it is pushed into their faces like I intend to.

I am angry and sad, but glad he is alive. Here is the post from his family off Raed's blog.

[olivebranch out]






My mom called me today at 7 in the morning, shouting with happiness: "Khalid is okay!". Niki and I were the last members of the family to know the "happy news". Khalid called my dad from the Iraqi mokhabarat's jail to inform us he was alive; he said he was abducted by the mukhabarat men from his university. My dad called my mom and Majed, and they informed us then.

The feelings of joyfulness in our family now would give anyone the impression that khalid has won the lottery! My mom spent the morning planning Khalid’s future, including the arrangements of his wedding party!

If your child or sibling vanishes for two days then calls from the secret service jail in any other place on earth, that would be considered a disaster and a violation of human rights…

In Iraq, however, it’s Happy News.

Because the other options include: To be tortured, executed, and thrown in garbage by SCIRI and their Badr brigades. To be held by the Iraqi police and left to choke to death in one of their cars. To be held by the US troops then disappear and be mistreated for months in one of their many prisons. To be kidnapped by one of the countless criminal gangs and cost your family some tens of millions of Iraqi Dinars and/or your life.

So now you can see why being held at the mukhabarat jail is such happy news!

My dad said that Khalid mentioned something about his writings or his blog. We’re not sure whether our blogs are the reason behind the abduction of Khalid, but it’s one of the possible scenarios. In case if they were, we’ll stand for our political values of anti-violence, anti-occupation, pro-dialogue, pro-free speech, and all of the other honourable stands that my family has taken in our lifetime.

Our goal now is to ask the mokhabarat to take Khalid to court and reveal what exactly he is being charged with (if anything).