FBI

The good news today is that kidnapped American journalist, Jill Carroll, of the Christian Science Montior has been released.

But a comment from an FBI spokesman, Richard Kolko, raises questions regarding the depth of the investigation into the disappearance of Kirk von Ackermann - missing since October 9, 2003.

Reaction to reporter Carroll's release

Richard Kolko, FBI spokesman, said, "We are obviously pleased that Jill Carroll has been released. Many U.S. government agencies and the FBI worked diligently behind the scenes on the Jill Carroll kidnapping case. The FBI's Office for Victim Assistance will now work to reunite Jill with her family."

Have the FBI and many U.S. government agencies also worked with the CID in investigating what happened to Kirk von Ackermann? And, if so, have they been equally as aggressive and diligent? If not, why?

Readers may certainly accuse me of having taken too cynical a view in light of the great news that Carroll has been safely released. But I can't help but wonder, why has the disappearance of former Air Force Captain Kirk von Ackermann received so little attention?

Missing in Iraq

A new blog was launched on March 21, 2006: Missing in Iraq.

The blog posts are signed "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.

I'm going to assume the blogger is Kirk's wife, Megan.

Please visit the blog.

Technorati

I've added The Missing Man to Technorati to assist in monitoring other blogs that might link to the Newsweek article.

Technorati Profile

Kidnapped and Missing in Iraq

Newsweek has released an article on those believed to be missing or kidnapped in Iraq. There is a very brief mention of Kirk von Ackermann. This is the first such mention of von Ackermann in the main stream media, that I am aware of, in over a year.

The Missing
by Rod Nordland, Newsweek, March 11, 2006

Just how many foreigners are being held hostage in Iraq? The numbers are higher than most people realize—partly because victims’ relatives and employees don’t publicize disappearances for fear of jeopardizing negotiations for their release. Newsweek’s calculations, however, show that at least 45 kidnapped foreigners, including 14 Americans, are still missing inside the country.

[...]

Kirk von Ackerman [sic], a military contractor, disappeared Oct. 9, 2003, from the Tikrit area, although whether he was actually kidnapped is unclear; the U.S. military has been investigating his disappearance, as well as the murder of a colleague of his shortly later.

Letter of Appreciation

Letter accompanying the US Joint Forces Command Certificate of Appreciation presented to Capt Kirk Von Ackermann, USAF from Capt J. M. Dundas, US Navy of the Joint Forces Intelligence Command.



The Joint Forces Intelligence Command (JFIC) is now known as the Joint Transformation Command for Intelligence (JTC-I) located in Norfolk, Virginia.