In the middle of all the horrible news out there, it's always great when something goes right.
Iraq hostages freed.
Showing posts with label Missing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Missing. Show all posts
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
CID
Kirk's disappearance is being investigated by the CID. That's alphabet soup for U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (yes I know that doesn't work out to CID). We're on our... I think fourth set of investigators, although I'm a bit unsure about the first two or three since I never met them nor talked to them on the phone.
Although I've now met with them - first in the summer of 2004, most recently about a year ago, the whole investigation is still opaque to me. They were quite pleased a year ago that they have increased investigative powers, but those same powers appear to have limited their ability to share information (which was already sketchy at best) so although they do try to keep in touch, it's all along the lines of 'we're still looking, we don't have any news.'
It's a complicated investigation anyway as Kirk's disappearance is only part of it. Two months after Kirk went missing, another employee of the same company was killed (the day before he was to leave the country). His death is still unsolved. To add to the confusion, that employee apparently had laid accusations of fraud, and those claims also are being looked into as part of the same big investigation.
On the positive side, Kirk's small case would probably not have had as much attention and effort put into it alone. On the negative side, since there is so little evidence, it seems likely that they will solve or at least resolve the other two parts of the investigation and Kirk's situation will always be unknown.
Although I've now met with them - first in the summer of 2004, most recently about a year ago, the whole investigation is still opaque to me. They were quite pleased a year ago that they have increased investigative powers, but those same powers appear to have limited their ability to share information (which was already sketchy at best) so although they do try to keep in touch, it's all along the lines of 'we're still looking, we don't have any news.'
It's a complicated investigation anyway as Kirk's disappearance is only part of it. Two months after Kirk went missing, another employee of the same company was killed (the day before he was to leave the country). His death is still unsolved. To add to the confusion, that employee apparently had laid accusations of fraud, and those claims also are being looked into as part of the same big investigation.
On the positive side, Kirk's small case would probably not have had as much attention and effort put into it alone. On the negative side, since there is so little evidence, it seems likely that they will solve or at least resolve the other two parts of the investigation and Kirk's situation will always be unknown.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
October 9 2003
Kirk disappeared from a road side between Baghdad and Kirkuk on the afternoon of October 9, 2003. His car had a flat tire, and he called the company office in Kirkuk for help. When the car was discovered, the doors were open, and he was nowhere to be found.
Still in the car were his computer, his satelite phone and a large amount of cash. There was no sign of struggle or violence.
I'd like to say those are the facts, but even here I'm not sure. I don't know how much money was there, whether Kirk was alone (as I've heard) or not, even who found the car.
After two and a half years of investigation, the CID hasn't been able to tell me much more than that. The problem, as one agent said to me, is the evidence. There simply isn't any; or none that they can discuss.
Because of course it's not quite as simple as just a missing man in Iraq (as though that were simple). But this is where we start, with an abandoned car on the side of the road in what is known as the Sunni triangle.
Still in the car were his computer, his satelite phone and a large amount of cash. There was no sign of struggle or violence.
I'd like to say those are the facts, but even here I'm not sure. I don't know how much money was there, whether Kirk was alone (as I've heard) or not, even who found the car.
After two and a half years of investigation, the CID hasn't been able to tell me much more than that. The problem, as one agent said to me, is the evidence. There simply isn't any; or none that they can discuss.
Because of course it's not quite as simple as just a missing man in Iraq (as though that were simple). But this is where we start, with an abandoned car on the side of the road in what is known as the Sunni triangle.
For Kirk
Two and a half years ago Kirk von Ackermann went missing in Iraq. He was the first American contractor to disappear. During that time we have waited and hoped while the investigation went on. Now we know it's time for us, his family, to do somethings ourselves.
So this is for Kirk. To our friends and family, it's a place to learn what we know, to see where we are now. For us it's somewhere to tell Kirk's story and ours and maybe find a place of resolution.
So this is for Kirk. To our friends and family, it's a place to learn what we know, to see where we are now. For us it's somewhere to tell Kirk's story and ours and maybe find a place of resolution.
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