[00.01 GMT] Many apologies for the inactivity of this site since 21 February, due to circumstances beyond my control. Normal service is now resumed.

[00.00 GMT] Reuters is tracking foreign hostages in Iraq, in addition to security incidents and military and civilian deaths. Their tallies include up to 8,840 military casualties, and 32,041 Iraqi civilians. Of over 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqi's taken hostage in Iraq since 2003, the news agency names thirty-eight internationals still believed missing. The number of Iraqis presently held captive is unknown. Some estimates say 2,000 or more. A new report released by the International Crisis Group says that the US-led Coalition "seem[s] to know little about the enemies they are fighting in Iraq," while the International Red Cross testifies about the freshly-released gruesome images of torture from Abu Ghraib.

[16.30 GMT] Baptist Peace Fellowship (UK) vigils and support information for Dr Norman Kember, who has been held captive in Iraq with fellow Christian Peacemaker Teams activists Tom Fox, Jim Loney, Harmeet Singh Sooden since 26 November 2005. Also from the BPF site: Why vigil? by John Rackley, former President of BUGB; Baptist Union material: Prayers for those held in Iraq; Prayers and suggested reflection from Trinity Church, Harrow; Letter from religious leaders released 6th February 2006; Litany for Detainess from Pax Christi; Vigil leaflet (including photographs); Posting from CPT member in Iraq, 1st February 2006; Letter to Norman Kember from Ken Sehested (Advent 2005); Vigil/Prayer leaflet from CPT, December 2005; Iraqi detainee profiles.

[00.00 GMT] US churches apologise over Iraq war and World churches reflect on nonviolent strategies (both Ekklesia, UK); USA church alliance: Washington is 'raining down terror' with Iraq war, other policies (Canada.com, Canada); Two Iraqis die in Baghdad bombings (Seven.com.au, Australia); An Interview with Anti-War Faster Mike Ferner (CounterPunch, CA, USA); Permanent Bases Point Toward Permanent War (Scoop.co.nz, New Zealand); One by one, Davis families mark deaths of those killed in Iraq (Davis Enterprise, CA, USA - see picture); What Brings Peace, Wealth or Democracy? (Middle East Forum, PA, USA); IsraPundit Accusations against Palestine Solidarity Movement (with comments from Baruch David) and a response from PSM.

[20.15 GMT] Christian and Muslim Victims of Violence By Peggy Gish of Christian Peacemaker Teams(Electronic Iraq); Iraqi Human Rights Group Plans Protest for Christian Captives (Christian Post, CA, USA)... We grieve for any victims of violence. We say that any forms of violence that stir up the prejudice and fear among Christians and Muslims or any other religious and ethnic groups, is wrong. We find hope in people of all faiths who courageously work together for mutual respect and cooperation. We are encouraged by those victims of violence who refuse to get caught up in the cycles of hate and revenge and are able to "continue on."

[01.00 GMT] Vigils continue for hostages (Anglican Journal, Canada - March 2006); Two Macedonians kidnapped in Iraq, ransom demanded (Metro Toronto, Canada); How to stay alive in a war zone (Independent, UK); US Press: Independent Investigation is a must (Zaman Online, Turkey).

[18.10 GMT] Apocalypse Now? Reflections on faith in a time of terror (The Tablet, UK). A review of two timely books by Duncan Forrester and Colin Morris, both people for whom I have a good deal of respect. Forrester is a political hard-head who also understands what is at stake in Christian ethics - and that it has to deal with, but cannot be circumscribed by, a narrow kind of "realism". [He] pits the modern world of states against the Gospel Church, which also lived in a time of terror, proclaiming an apocalyptic vision of “a coming order of peace, justice and love”, exemplified in its fellowships. He quotes the third-century theologian Tertullian: “Nothing is more foreign to us than the state. One state we know, of which all are citizens.” Forrester insists that Gospel politics is about “the transfiguration of politics by the rule of the Lamb that has been slain, and is now, despite appearances, on the throne”.
See also: Police alert for Muslim rally at Trafalgar Square (HindustanTimes.com UK edition, India).

[17.00 GMT] Government minister joins Christians in calling for Guantanamo closure (Ekklesia, UK).

[08.30 GMT] US under pressure on Guantanamo (Reuters via Yahoo! News).

[17.30 GMT] From Reuters (via the FreeTheCaptivesNow site): Ruined Iraqi city promotes peace with olive trees. Yesterday ReligionNews raised the issue of the lack of mainstream press interest in CPT, its philosophy and provenance. This is true, and its not as if the research is hard -- as in many issues involving religion, where (sadly) prejudice and loudmouthing on all sides seems to command more attention than actual information and reflection. So, for the record: About CPT. Christian Peacemaker Teams is a programme of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches (USA and Canada). The Baptist Peace Fellowship, Every Church a Peace Church, On Earth Peace and The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship are also sponsors of CPT. People from other bodies in the ecumenical Christian community are particpants in the 40 member full time Christian Peacemaker Corps and the part time 125 member Reserve Corps. See also the book Getting in the Way:Stories from Christian Peacemaker Teams. In the UK you can order it (along with other Herald Press titles) from Metanoia Book Service.

[06.50 GMT] Church leaders urge dialogue with Muslims following cartoon controversy (Ekklesia, UK); The hearts of peaceniks and terrorists (GetReligion, DC, USA); Winter of Our Discontent: 34-day Fast to End the Iraq War, February 2006 (Common Dreams, USA);
Christian Peacemaker Teams Leader Speaks at Nazareth (Nazareth College, NY, USA); Who's behind the kidnaps? (Al-Ahram Weekly, Egypt); Why we're publishing the new Abu Ghraib photos (Salon, USA); Colleague tells of Iraq kidnap shock (Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand); A Baghdad Kidnapping Up Close (Embassy, Canada); Iraqi Ads Appeal For US Journalist's Release (KSBI 52, OK, USA); Iraqi Officials Condemn Abuse Images (CBS 11, TX, USA); Report: Sunni Insurgents Increasingly Unified (Antiwar.com, CA, USA); Iraqi rebels thrive on net (Australian IT, Australia); Situation of German Hostages in Iraq Remains Unclear (Deutsche Welle, Germany); In Their Own Words: Reading the Iraqi Insurgency (International Crisis Group, Belgium).

[15.20 GMT] Leftovers from war on terror aren't so tasty (Tracy Press, CA, USA); 'Sons are Used to Force Their Fathers Talk in Abu Ghraib' (Zaman Online, Turkey); Will we let Jill Carroll be killed? (Los Angeles Times, CA, USA).

[07.00 GMT] CPT Iraq statement on anti-Muslim cartoons in Danish newspaper - [English]; Group plans to plea for hostages (Edmonton Sun, Canada); Germany Trying to Contact Men's Kidnappers in Iraq, Erler Says (Bloomberg); Hostage Vigil (Donga, South Korea); French efforts to free hostage criticized (United Press International); New Hostage Video Gives Berlin "Last Chance" (Der Spiegel, Germany); US urged to free al-Jazeera journalist (al-Jazeera); Iraqis Remain Starved of Electricity (AP);Tom Fox reflection: "Fight or flight?".

[16.40 GMT] Baghdad demo planned for Christian peacemaker hostages (Ekklesia, UK).

[00.01 GMT] Iraqi rights group plans Baghdad protest for release of Christian Peacemakers (Calgary Sun, Canada); Truth-tellers about Iraq are dangerous (The People's Voice); Military Police Make Arrest in Beating of Iraqis, UK Says (Bloomberg); Group threatens to kill German hostages (Washington Post, United States); 21 Iraqis Killed in Monday Attacks (Al-Jazeerah.info).

[14.40 GMT] Christians welcome UN report on Guantanamo (Ekklesia, UK).

[13.00 GMT] The free and widely-consulted composite online encyclopedia Wikipedia has a number of entries (of generally good, though variable, quality) relating to the Christian Peacemaker Teams captives in Iraq. This includes one on the 2005 CPT hostage crisis, a specific site for Norman Kember and a broader entry on foreign hostages in Iraq. The plentiful links provide a range of research opportunities. See also: Tom Fox, 54, of Clearbrook, Virginia, USA, a leader of youth programs at Langley Hill Friends Meeting and Baltimore Yearly Meeting, James Loney, 41, of Toronto, Canada, programme coordinator for CPT Canada, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, a Canadian electrical engineer studying in New Zealand.

[16.45 GMT] Blair vows probe of alleged abuse in Iraq (AP via Yahoo). See on Pickled Politics: Another Iraq abuse video unearths and Pics from yesterday’s Islamophobia rally. Also on Yahoo News, a good (though basic) piece looking at image prohibitions in different religious traditions: Cartoon protests aren't unique to Islam. Note that links to Yahoo and Google news stories are time-limited to one month. And no, the analyst quoted is not the same Pat Gaffney mentioned on this weblog who heads up Pax Christi UK - and who is, in any case, a woman. (Prayer/Meditation & Action for Iraq hostages and Vigils in the UK. UK Religious Leaders Open Letter on behalf of Iraqi Prisoners)

[16.30 GMT] Nothing new on the CPT captives. On a related story, interesting to note the different headline angles on the same event. Speaks volumes. Thousands join pro-Islam protest (EgyptElection.com, UK) and Smaller numbers than expected turn up for Muslim march in London (Unison.ie, Ireland).

[16.20 GMT] Bruce Kent joins Mohammed cartoon demo in London (24dash.com): Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather described the cartoons as "a juvenile posturing exercise". She went on: "Nothing was done to further the cause of liberal values or the freedom of speech - the publication of the cartoons was just plain racist." Bruce Kent, a friend and colleague of British hostage Norman Kember who is being held in Iraq, spoke as a representative of the Christian group Pax Christi. He said: "I think the cartoons hurt the Muslims, they hurt me as a Christian and they were grossly offensive. "I think we religious groups should be working together for a world of justice and peace." See also: Giles Fraser on iconoclasm (Guardian, UK): the first article I've seen to go beyond superficial talk about a Muslim 'taboo' on images in order to explore the theological and political issues of reprsentation. Cartoons endanger peace activists (London Free Press, Canada); Cartoon controversy spreads throughout Muslim world (Guardian, UK); Many Iraqis Killed in Mosque Attack (Turks, USA).