Douglas Wood
Encyclopedia
Douglas Wood is an Australia
n construction engineer who had worked with the American military, and was held hostage
in Iraq
for six weeks between May and June 2005, before being rescued.
in 1941. He moved to Geelong where he attended the Geelong College and the Gordon Institute of TAFE
, graduating as a mechanical engineer. In 1973 he left Australia to work in the United States
, moving to Alamo, California
, where he lived with his American wife and daughter, and employed by construction company Bechtel Corporation for 25 years. He later formed his own company and moved from his Californian home to Iraq. His work involved project management, and building nuclear plants; including the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating station in Arizona
.
along with his driver and translator
and forced into a cell, while at a home in Baghdad
, Iraq
while believing he was organising a business deal. On 2 May 2005, Arabic television network al-Jazeera broadcast footage of Wood being held by armed captors, identified as the Shura Council of the Mujahideen of Iraq. Wood is shown pleading for his life, and urges Australia and the United States
to withdraw their troops from the country.
On 4 May 2005, Al-Jazeera broadcast an appeal by Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer
and Woods' brothers, for the insurgents to free Wood.
By 7 May 2005, new footage emerged showing Wood, having sustained injuries, and with machine guns held to his head. In the video, he reads aloud an order to withdraw troops from Iraq within 72 hours. In response, Imam
Sheik Alhilali flies to Iraq on 9 May 2005, to attempt to assist with Wood's release. It is during this time that Alhilali claims to have seen Wood, confirming that he was still alive.
In response to suggestions that the Australian government or Wood's family might make payments to the kidnappers, Prime Minister John Howard
stated that Australia will neither pull troops out, nor pay any ransom
that might be demanded. Downer added that any concession to demands could encourage further kidnappings. Wood's family conducted a public relations campaign in both Australia and Iraq, to convince Mr Wood's captors that he was a family man who sympathises with their cause. On 10 May 2005, the deadline given by the kidnappers expired at 5pm Australian time, however there was no indication that Wood had been killed.
Six weeks after his capture, Wood was found and rescued by Iraqi army troops from a house in Ghazaliya
, with assistance from U.S. forces. The Iraqi troops were performing a routine raid of a suspected weapons cache at the house, before finding Wood. Brigadier General
Jaleel Khalaf Shewi, commander of the Iraqi brigade which rescued Mr Wood, said a brief firefight
had taken place during the operation, but there were no casualties on either side. It was revealed that Wood's driver and translator were killed before the rescue operation commenced.
On 15 June 2005, news of the rescue was relayed to senior Australian diplomat
in Baghdad, Nick Warner. Footage was aired in Australia by CNN
showing Wood talking to soldiers and sitting up in bed in a medical facility in Baghdad
. Prime Minister
John Howard
subsequently acknowledged the efforts of Australia's Muslim community and senior cleric Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali, while also confirming that no ransom had been paid. On 20 June, Muslim Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali returned to Australia, claiming that Douglas Wood would have been killed if it had not been for his intervention. Wood has, however, denied that he ever spoke to Alhilali during his capture.
, claiming that seven of the ten Iraqi soldiers who rescued Wood in 2005 have been systematically murdered. He argues that they were targeted after giving evidence against his kidnappers. In response, two Iraqi service personnel were granted permanent refugee visas under Australia’s humanitarian program, after an assessment of their applications found they were in grave and imminent danger.
Wood had previously worked on the failed Jervis Bay
feasibility study for a local nuclear power plant, and in response to John Howard's plan for nuclear power production in Australia, Wood stated that he would happily live next door to a nuclear power plant, and would assist in development of an Australian nuclear energy industry. However, he stated his concerns that Australia's engineers and industrial suppliers are under-qualified to build a local plant.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n construction engineer who had worked with the American military, and was held hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for six weeks between May and June 2005, before being rescued.
Early life
Wood was born in Whyalla, South AustraliaWhyalla, South Australia
-Demographics:According to the 2006 Census the population of the Whyalla census area was 21,122 people, making it the second largest urban area in the state outside of Adelaide...
in 1941. He moved to Geelong where he attended the Geelong College and the Gordon Institute of TAFE
Gordon Institute of TAFE
The Gordon Institute of TAFE is the TAFE institute servicing Geelong since 1888. It has 26,000 students studying on-campus, off-campus and in business or industry ....
, graduating as a mechanical engineer. In 1973 he left Australia to work in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, moving to Alamo, California
Alamo, California
Alamo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, in the United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, where he lived with his American wife and daughter, and employed by construction company Bechtel Corporation for 25 years. He later formed his own company and moved from his Californian home to Iraq. His work involved project management, and building nuclear plants; including the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating station in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Kidnapping
In 2005, 63-year-old Australian engineer Douglas Wood was kidnappedKidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
along with his driver and translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and forced into a cell, while at a home in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
while believing he was organising a business deal. On 2 May 2005, Arabic television network al-Jazeera broadcast footage of Wood being held by armed captors, identified as the Shura Council of the Mujahideen of Iraq. Wood is shown pleading for his life, and urges Australia and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to withdraw their troops from the country.
On 4 May 2005, Al-Jazeera broadcast an appeal by Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
and Woods' brothers, for the insurgents to free Wood.
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Sheik Alhilali flies to Iraq on 9 May 2005, to attempt to assist with Wood's release. It is during this time that Alhilali claims to have seen Wood, confirming that he was still alive.
In response to suggestions that the Australian government or Wood's family might make payments to the kidnappers, Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
stated that Australia will neither pull troops out, nor pay any ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
that might be demanded. Downer added that any concession to demands could encourage further kidnappings. Wood's family conducted a public relations campaign in both Australia and Iraq, to convince Mr Wood's captors that he was a family man who sympathises with their cause. On 10 May 2005, the deadline given by the kidnappers expired at 5pm Australian time, however there was no indication that Wood had been killed.
Six weeks after his capture, Wood was found and rescued by Iraqi army troops from a house in Ghazaliya
Ghazaliya
Ghazaliya is a neighborhood in West Baghdad, Iraq.It is believed the area was named after the Muslim scholar Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī, and it is surrounded by various other districts, such as Al sheoala, Albakrea, Alkadraa and al Aadel.Originally patrolled by elements of the...
, with assistance from U.S. forces. The Iraqi troops were performing a routine raid of a suspected weapons cache at the house, before finding Wood. Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Jaleel Khalaf Shewi, commander of the Iraqi brigade which rescued Mr Wood, said a brief firefight
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
had taken place during the operation, but there were no casualties on either side. It was revealed that Wood's driver and translator were killed before the rescue operation commenced.
On 15 June 2005, news of the rescue was relayed to senior Australian diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
in Baghdad, Nick Warner. Footage was aired in Australia by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
showing Wood talking to soldiers and sitting up in bed in a medical facility in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
subsequently acknowledged the efforts of Australia's Muslim community and senior cleric Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali, while also confirming that no ransom had been paid. On 20 June, Muslim Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali returned to Australia, claiming that Douglas Wood would have been killed if it had not been for his intervention. Wood has, however, denied that he ever spoke to Alhilali during his capture.
Aftermath and political position
In 2009, Wood contacted Prime Minister Kevin RuddKevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, claiming that seven of the ten Iraqi soldiers who rescued Wood in 2005 have been systematically murdered. He argues that they were targeted after giving evidence against his kidnappers. In response, two Iraqi service personnel were granted permanent refugee visas under Australia’s humanitarian program, after an assessment of their applications found they were in grave and imminent danger.
Wood had previously worked on the failed Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay is a large bay bounded by the state of New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, and a detached enclave of the Australian Capital Territory. HMAS Creswell is located between Jervis Bay Village and Greenpatch in the Jervis Bay Territory.-History:...
feasibility study for a local nuclear power plant, and in response to John Howard's plan for nuclear power production in Australia, Wood stated that he would happily live next door to a nuclear power plant, and would assist in development of an Australian nuclear energy industry. However, he stated his concerns that Australia's engineers and industrial suppliers are under-qualified to build a local plant.