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Iraqi militants kidnap, behead American
The American, 2&-year-old
Nicholas Berg, was said to
be in Iraq hopingtobuilda
chain of cell phone towers
By Cam Simpson
and Stevenson Swanson
Chicago Tribune (KRT)
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — Islamic
militants beheaded a 26-year-old
American civilian and displayed a
gruesome video of it Tuesday, saying
he was killed in retaliation for the
abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American
soldiers.
The body of Nicholas Berg, who
grew up near Philadelphia, was found
on a Baghdad highway Saturday, but
the graphic details of his violent death
did not become public until Tuesday
when an al-Qaida-affiliated group
showed the video on its Web site
along with a vow that more killings
will follow.
One of the executioners said in the
video: "So we tell you that the dignity
of the Muslim men and women in
Abu Ghraib and others is not re
deemed except by blood and souls.
You will not receive anything from us
but coffins after coffins... slaughtered
in this way."
News of the beheading shocked of
ficial Washington, including mem
bers of the Senate Armed Services
Committee who were questioning of
ficials about abuse of Iraqi prisoners
at Abu Ghraib prison.
The White House condemned the
killing of Berg, who had visions of
building cell phone towers across
Iraq. Scott McClellan, President
Bush's press secretary, said, "It shows
the true nature of the enemies of free
dom. They have no regard for the lives
of innocent men, women and chil
dren."
The video of Berg's killing shows
five men wearing headscarves and
black ski masks standing over the
American, who was bound and clad
in an orange jumpsuit.
He says: "My name is Nick Berg. My
father's name is Michael. My mother's
name is Suzanne. I have a brother and
sister, David and Sara. I live in ...
Philadelphia."
After the militants read their state
ment, they pull Berg onto his side and
put a large knife to his neck. A scream
sounds as the men cut his head off,
shouting "Allahu Akbar!" — "God is
great." They then hold the head out
before the camera.
Several television networks, includ
ing CNN and MSNBC, showed pic
tures of the frightened Berg but not
the killing. ABC, CBS and NBC said
they did not plan to show the behead
ing.
The Web site labeled the video
"Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shown
slaughtering an American," a refer
ence to a Jordanian militant leader as
sociated with al-Qaida. Trie U.S. mili
tary has blamed al-Zarqawi for suicide
bombings in Iraq and has offered a
$ 10 million reward for his arrest. It
was not known whether al-Zarqawi
was among those shown in the video.
Berg's family said they knew their
son had been decapitated but didn't
know the details until Tuesday. "I
knew he was decapitated before. That
manner is preferable to a long and
torturous death. But I didn't want it to
become public," Michael Berg said.
Berg's odyssey in Iraq was a strange
one. His parents and U.S. officials
portrayed him as a lone entrepreneur,
a man who left home hoping to find
success in the riches promised by
Iraq's reconstruction.
Before extremists apparently kid
napped and killed him, authorities
detained Berg in Iraq for as long as
two weeks in late March and early
April. But many details about his de
tention remained sketchy Tuesday.
Iraqi security forces arrested Berg in
late March at a checkpoint near Mosul,
according to U.S. officials in Washing
ton familiar with the case. Berg's par
ents said they did not hear from their
son between March 24 and roughly
April 8, according to court papers they
filed in Pennsylvania last month.
It was unclear Tuesday why Berg
drew the attention of the Iraqis, al
though arrests at such checkpoints are
common.
Whatever the cause of his arrest,
Iraqi officials contacted FBI agents sta
tioned in the country after learning
Berg was an American, according to
officials in Washington. The FBI then
questioned Berg in Mosul, officials in
Washington said.
Kelly Shannon, a spokeswoman for
the State Department's consular af
fairs division, said a U.S. consular of
ficial stationed in Iraq was in contact
with Berg after his arrest. She said he
was not involved in government re
construction contracts.
After bis arrest in Mosul, the FBI
also briefly questioned Berg's family
at their home in West Chester, so they
could confirm his identity and his sto
ry, officials in Washington said.
Following the FBI interview, Berg's
parents alleged on April 5 in a federal
court petition that the U.S. military
was illegally detaining their son. They
said the Iraqis transferred him into
U.S. military custody.
But a Pentagon spokesman said
Tuesday the military's only involve
ment with Berg was limited to the brief
court case, which his parents sought to
withdraw just three days later, appar
ently because their son was released.
U.S. officials in Washington said they
believe Berg returned to Baghdad im
mediately after his release, but they do
not know when or how he may have
been kidnapped. Before they initially
lost contact with him on March 24,
Berg had told his parents he planned to
come home in just a few days.
(c) 2004, Chicago Tribune. Distributed
by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information
Services.
FAREWELL
continued from page 1
expanded, as has the number of inter
national students. The University had
peak international student enroll
ment just before 1997, when there
were more than 1,600 students, she
said. She said in recent years, overseas
programs also have become very pop
ular, with almost 800 students partici
pating in exchange programs each
year. The University also has been na
tionally recognized for its high in
volvement in international efforts like
the Peace Corps, she said.
While the value of international ed
ucation is recognized, international
students face various challenges with
the changing global climate, and there
have been some emergencies. For in
stance, some students had difficulties
during the Asian financial crises in
1997, she said.
Stark said changes in national
economies affect the demographics of
students who come here to study.
"I think there's a cycle in interna
tional education, which moves with
the geopolitical scene," she said.
More stringent immigration laws
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks also
have affected international education.
Stark said implementing SEVIS, an
electronic system which tracks inter
national students, was a very complex
process and may have fostered the
perception that the II.S. is now less
hospitable to students.
"Those of us in international edu
cation feel that's such a devastating re
sult," she said.
Evidently, Stark has touched many
students' lives; her office is full of pic
tures of international students who
have passed through the institution.
Stark's influence also manifests itself
in the relationships she has built with
students and colleagues.
"I can't think of anybody I'd rather
work with," Associate Vice President
for International Programs Tom Mills
said. Mills said Stark was a thoughtful
and capable adviser who could always
be depended on to get a project done.
OIP Graduate Teaching Fellow
Keavy Cook, who works with Stark
on the ICSP program, also noted
Stark's dedication and consistency.
"She's one of the first people here
and one of the last ones to leave,"
"I've learned that you
can't make assumptions,
that you need to listen...
Just about anyone who
sits down with you has
something to offer and
you never know what it's
going to be."
Ginny Stark
Director, International Student
and Scholar Services
Cook said.
International programs Associate
Director Magid Shirzadegan, who will
be taking over Stark's position, said he
realizes he has significant shoes to fill.
"I'm sure I can't duplicate her lead
ership," he said, adding that Stark has
always been a strong leader and dedi
cated advocate for international stu
dents.
"She has always spoken strongly on
behalf of international students and
scholars," he said.
American English Institute Director
Christa I Iansen agrees.
"She very much keeps the needs of
students at the forefront," Hansen
said. She added that Stark has been a
great resource for scholars in and out
side the office, helping them to accli
mate to their new environments.
Stark said her work has taught her
many lessons.
"I've learned that you can't make
assumptions, that you need to listen,"
she said. "Just about anyone who sits
down with you has something to of
fer and you never know what it's go
ing to be."
While many people say she will be
hard to forget, Stark said she is not
concerned about people remember
ing her. What is more important to
her is that people who have interact
ed with OIP have found what they
were looking for.
"I think it's mainly important that
people have had a good experience at
the University, and if this office has
contributed to that good experience,
then that's what makes me happy,"
she said.
Contact the news editor
at ayishayahya@dailyemerald.com.
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
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The period of greatest demand is usually Sept, through March, so it makes
sense to plan ahead.
For more information visit the Testing Office web site at
http://www.uoregon.edu/~lesting/
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