$ 1.8 million ransom demanded for release of Iraqi archbishop
Updated: This version corrects the ransom amount to 1.8 million dollars
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Madrid, Spain, Mar 3, 2008 / 02:29 pm (CNA).- The Mensajeros de la Paz (Messengers of Peace) foundation is reporting that the captors of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul are demanding $1.8 million in ransom money to free the Iraqi prelate who was kidnapped last Friday.

In comments to Italian Bishops’ news service Servizio Informazione Religiosa (SIR), Bishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk said that, "The kidnappers have called more than once asking for ransom."

The president and founder of Mensajeros de la Paz, Father Angel Garcia, expressed his hope that the captors would relent and “for humanitarian reasons release the Archbishop of Mosul, who is man of faith and not politics and is also ill.”

He also said he called on the “governments, religious institutions and episcopal conferences of the world to follow the lead of Pope Benedict XVI and call for the immediate release of Archbishop Rahho.”

According to the foundation, Father Garcia is working to get the archbishop released, and in the coming days he will travel to Spain with five sick Iraqi children who need treatment.

Father Garcia has spent time as well with the families of the three young people killed during the kidnapping of Archbishop Rahho, who is also his personal friend.  In March of 2005, the archbishop visited Spain at Father Garcia’s invitation to call for peace and reconciliation in Iraq.  During his visit he was treated for heart difficulties he had been experiencing.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: frances
NY, NY 04/11/2008 12:40 AM EST
I will pray that captors release the Archbishop.
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Published by: Mary Dunn
pleasanton, CA, USA 03/12/2008 09:50 AM EST
I'm sure they would be happy to pay a ransom except that then the kidnappers would be encouraged to kidnap other priests and bishops so it puts others in danger. Keep praying the rosary for this poor bishop. Prayer is powerful.
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Published by: Oz Osborne
San Francisco Bay Area, CA 03/04/2008 08:31 PM EST
Let us all pray for Archbishop Rahho's Guardian Angel to take over, protect him and see to his release, if it be God's will.
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Published by: Chris Fontanini
West Des Moines, Iowa 03/04/2008 10:00 AM EST
I wonder if the ransom was paid if they still would honor freedom for Archbishop Rahho.I would hope so. Let us keep him in our prayers, lifting up to the intercession of all saintly bishops in heaven-those martyred for the faith and those who have gone through a white martyrdom.
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