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The nightmare ends

Updated on 23 March 2006

By Lindsey Hilsum

British hostage Norman Kember is freed in Iraq after a tip-off from insurgents.


The British hostage Norman Kember and his two colleagues have been freed after a 117 day kidnapping in Iraq.

>>Watch the report

"It's great to be free:" the words of Norman Kember after his release early this morning in Baghdad. The veteran pacificist was freed along with fellow peacemakers- Canadians Harmeet Sooden and Jim Loney- after four months in captivity.

Their colleague- American Tom Fox- was found dead in Baghdad two weeks ago. The British government said their release was part of an operation lasting several weeks that involved US and Canadian special forces.

Officials have revealed few details of the operation - but according to the Americans, last night coalition forces conducted an operation in which they detained two people.

By 8 this morning, the detainees had said where to find the Christian peacemaker team. So US and other forces then cordoned off a house in Western Baghdad while a rescue mission spearheaded by British troops - many believed to be in the SAS - entered the location. No shots were fired and no captors found - only the three hostages.

IN KEMBER'S PLACE?

On the day Norman Kember is freed More4 News speaks to Kathy Breen, who is waiting to go to Iraq now on a peacekeeping mission.

>>More4 News report

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