Nick Berg Weirdness

[RapidCreek]

The following link describes a situation I've heard reported only one time on network news in the past day.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Tower-pro/message/19321



Dear Friends and Customers of Nick Berg and Prometheus Towers,

I am enclosing the following news release which my wife and I are about to release to the media for you. If anyone out there in the broadcast industry can do anything to help us spread the word about our son's disappearance especially to the Mid East, we would be very appreciative:

On March 14 our son, Nick Berg, left for Iraq to inspect some radio towers that had been damaged during last year's war. His goal was to secure some contract work for his business, Prometheus Methods Tower Service. He planned to return on March 30 through Amman, Jordan.

On March 24, Nick was picked up by the Iraqi police in Mosul and held for questioning for no apparent reason. He was subsequently detained by the U.S. military and interrogated by the FBI until his release on April 6. No reason was ever given for holding him for these 13 days. Immediately upon his release he emailed the family and proceeded south to Baghdad where he was staying at the Al Fanar Hotel.

On April 9 he called us and said that he was seeking a safe route out of the country either through Jordan, or possibly Turkey. Most of the major routes were closed due to military action around Fallujah. Since that time we have had no contact with our son. No one we know in Iraq has seen or spoken to him, and we know that he has not accessed his email. We are extremely worried about his safety. We are asking anyone who has seen Nick or knows anything about his whereabouts to come forward and give us this information so that he can be safely brought home.

We extend our sympathies to all of the many families who are in the same situation.

Suzanne and Michael Berg


What this letter does not say is that Suzanne and Michael Berg filed suit against Donald Rumsfeld in Federal Court to secure their sons release from US Military Detention.

It seems there are some serious questions that need to be answered here. Why did Iraqi Police arrest Berg and why was he released from their custody into that of the US Military and FBI? For what reason was he being interrogated?

It seems somewhat odd to me that he "disappeared" following his "release" from US custody. Particularly in that they were "interrogating" him. Also I find it rather curious that his execution happened when it did. Very convenient for the administration. Also is seems strange that his executioner claimed to be someone he was obviously NOT. Why are these strange circumstances not being addressed in the media?

RC

[goodhue]

1. yes

you might want to read this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1577936

[RapidCreek]

19. Thanks...didn't see that...

Just got online after getting all pissed off watching the "news".

Not surprised that Tinoire was wondering the same thing.....I am surprised that she/he made the connection with Micheal Berg and Global Day of Action/Freeper Evil People List.

Bergs Murder sounds like a con job instigated by the FBI/CIA/MI to me. All that remains unclear is why they did it.

RC

[Mountainman]

2. Why would the US want him killed?

Yes this is a weird story but don't you need a motive first?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

3. No.

Conspiracy theories don't require motives. They only require fools.

[Junkdrawer]

5. Is al Queda a Conspiracy, or are they Lone Terrorists?

:shrug:

[DenverDem]

7. Conspiracies require fools to succeed,

fools too afraid of the truth to question the power elite fictions.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. sigh

Look, I'm not saying that it's wrong to question authority. All I'm saying is that all day, all over DU I have seen this kind of nonsense:

BERG KILLED BY CIA/FBI/MAFIA/JFK/JESUS

with no supporting evidence whatsoever. Questioning is one thing. Drawing conclusions based on no evidence is another. Saying "Something is weird" doesn't prove that it's so.

[RoyGBiv]

17. That's where the questioning starts...

Offering suggestions of what might have happened, then finding out whether those suggests have any merit.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

22. Argh!

Yes. Suggestions based on EVIDENCE.

[RoyGBiv]

28. Of course...

Although sometimes the evidence available is not "court room" material and can lead in several directions, some of them more logical than others.

Certainly there will always be bizarre suggestions that can hardly be taken seriously, but then a lot of suggestions I wouldn't have taken seriously three years ago have been shown to be true. Also, it's important to realize that there are elements actively seeking to suppress information. That requires one to think outside the box. Criminal investigators, for instance, often work from several different hypotheses, many of which are based on very flimsy evidence, or possibly just guesses. They then work out which of those guesses have substance and which don't.

[DenverDem]

29. How the hell are we supposed to come up with evidence?

Go to Iraq and do some forensics?

I've got plenty of evidence of prior actions more incredible than this one perpetrated by power elitists against The People and this smells remarkably similar to the bin laden videos among other poor black op disinfo actions.

[RapidCreek]

34. Not only that...his parents had to go to FEDERAL COURT

and sue the Secratary of Defense to get him released from FBI/MI detention! They couldn't and can't even get an answer as to why he was detained and interrogated....and that's damned wierd...especially now that he is DEAD!

I can't believe our pal above sees nothing peculiar about that.

RC

[RapidCreek]

32. The media has been stating all day long that Iraqi

insurgents killed Berg. Do you have evidence that it was Iraqi insurgents that killed him? You know....aside from a grainy tape (which should not be the least bit grainy with todays video technology) of guys in masks one of whom claims to be someone experts say he is not? If so please share it.

I'm suggesting that we don't KNOW who killed him and the circumstances leading up to his death make clear that some questions need answering before it can be stated with any confidence who did.

RC

[Old and In the Way]

44. I agree.

Another thing to consider. This guy was probably a loner. No friends or support group in Iraq. His isolation could have made him an easy target for any one of a number of groups with propaganda interests in Iraq.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

53. Al Qaeda, actually

The only reports I've seen say that Al Qaeda or "Al Qaeda-linked sympathizers blahblahblah" killed him. Not your run-of-the-mill pissed off resident of Fallujah.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

40. Timing.

Circumstantial but compelling.

Are the odds greater that this film would be released in the middle of a torture brouhaha or on a "normal" day?

I know what Vegas would say.

[gulfcoastliberal]

47. Please advise...

1. Why when you google "prometheus towers" it brought up freeperepublic and Nick Berg's father's name as a signatory to an anti-war petition?

2. His unexplained detention by the the US militaary that forced his parents to file suit against Rumsfeld to secure his release?

3. The strange circumstances of the execution video.

If the pentagon/fbi came out and explained why they detained Mr. Berg for 2 weeks it might help disperse these theories. I highly doubt any comment from the feds is forthcoming.

[w13rd0]

27. He was trying to work setting up communication systems...

...which he'd done in other nations. He was a tech. What did he see and record? What communications did he facilitate?

[RapidCreek]

30. I would say that his apprehension and interrogation by

the Iraqi Police, MI, and FBI are no less evidence than a tape of his "execution" by masked individuals one of whom claims to be someone he is not.

Indeed saying something is weird doesn't prove it is so. It does however point to the fact that there are some weird, unexplained circumstances surrounding his death.

I've seen all over the news today that Iraqi insurgents killed Berg and have seen no supporting evidence whatsoever.

RC

[Old and In the Way]

43. Curious as to who you think killed him and why.

Of course, there are no knowns in this (as Rumsfield likes to say). Who benefits?


I see 3 possibilities.

(1) Could be bloodthirsty, revenge-seeking Iraqis using Al Qaeda as a handy cover.
(2) Could be a real Al Qaeda action using this very powerful weapon to shock and awe Americans and energize their base.
(3) Could be a US black ops operation meant to re-energize American outrage and influence political opinion on this war.

I wouldn't discount any of the above scenarios....to discount any possibility, with no facts to back your reasoning, makes you open to manipulation.

[newsguyatl]

4. deflection from their current cluster fuck

anger and FEAR from the american people.


remember, this is an administration that will stop at NOTHING to keep power. they rule with fear.


i'm not saying anything specifically about THIS incident, just answering your question on motive.

[Mountainman]

6. I betting that the reaction of the American people will be further

angst against the prison torture. They may feel that what we are doing in Iraq makes it more dangerous for the rest of the Americans and this killing is proof of it.

[newsguyatl]

8. see, i have the opposite opinion

i think for the MAJORITY it will bring back the feelings of american superiority, that we must defeat the countless, nameless, evil arab-muslim-alqaeda-iraqi-saddam-allah people...

i think you're giving the american public way too much credit.

but i hope i'm wrong.

[Mountainman]

14. I hope you are wrong too.

I'm feeling that all this violence is like one big ball of violence. It's hard for me to take sides in it.

[LittleApple81]

21. As a faithful C-Span Wash Jnl listener, I agree with you. n/t

[minkyboodle]

35. unfortunately I believe you will be right

n/t

[Wapsie B]

31. Yes,

I agree with that.

[RapidCreek]

23. Doesn't the US Military and FBI need a motive to imprison

and interrogate a US national for two weeks? That's the point.

RC

[stickdog]

41. Motive?

How about simply the most effective piece of counter-propaganda imaginable vis a vis the US-run Iraqi prison abuses?

[rocktivity]

9. How does he just traipse off to Iraq to look for work

when Halliburton et al have all the contracting work wrapped up?

:headbang:
rocknation

[Warpy]

10. Why, indeed?

There he was, with a last name that is usually Jewish, in an Arab country, "looking for work?" Excuse me, but the only way to assure himself of a job in Iraq would have been to apply as a subcontractor to Halliburton or Bechtel or any other trough feeder before he went, not afterwards.

I'm sorry, I loathe conspiracy theories, but there's just too much of this story that doesn't add up right.

[Justice]

12. Berg Traveled to the Middle East several times

I did find this article - http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=37542

"Dave Skalish, a former engineer at KYW Newsradio and the current engineer for our sister station WPHT in Philadelphia, knew Nick Berg well.

Skalish says he had known Berg for two years because of his business working on radio towers. Skalish says he was very professional, eager and energetic about his work and "loved being up in the air working on radio towers."

"Skalish says he's stunned by the apparent violent nature of Berg's death. He says he felt Berg had a good command of the region and had traveled to the Middle East several times and did his homework:" (Again not to be alarmist but interesting for a 26 year old to travel to the middle east several times I think).

I did find him mentioned here - Association web-site page indicating different companies that do tower work - lists Promethus Methods and says Nick Berg liked Broadcast work, overseas work and his company did not have a website.

http://www.tower-pro.net/member_links/members_without.htm

[No2W2004]

13. Good question

His goal was to secure some contract work for his business

I used to work for a scrap metal co. and briefly looked into how things worked, from what I saw, EVERYTHING runs through the Coalition Authority. You just don't go over to Iraq and start trying to scrounge up some work. Halliburton doesn't bother with the small time stuff, like fixing a few transmission towers, but if he planned on getting work, he'd have to have SOME contact with the CAA.

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. This guy must have been nuts or misinformed

Did he really believe that you could go to Iraq and freelance some kind of government contract? I realize that there is always going to be one or two clueless people in any situation, but this really takes the prize.
You would expect that if he was resourceful enough to find his way to Mosul, he would be cleaver enough to find who to contact in this country to arrange or at least find out about a possible contract before doing anything that stupid.

[Elbowroom]

16. the orange jumper?

Why would the US release him while still wearing the orange jumper? How did they expect him to get home safely while wearing something that glows like that?

[Warpy]

18. His family said he contacted them

...from his hotel room in Baghdad, shortly before he disappeared. In other words, he was back with his luggage and changes of clothing, even if he had been released in an orange jumpsuit in Mosul several days earlier.

The only way he would have been grabbed wearing one would be if he was really, really fond of orange.

The whole story smells.

[Tansy_Gold]

24. The orange jumpsuit has been debunked

in another thread.

He's probably wearing something provided by his captors. Others have described the orange garb as having longer sleeves and being of a more silky texture than U.S. prison jumpsuit.

but hey, don't let me puncture your conspiracy.

[CityZen-X]

25. The Story Stinketh!

I too find items that do not fit in this sad picture. As I saw a still of his captors one thing that struck me was their body size (bulk) . They didn't look as they were on the run, eating light, you get the picture. And one of the so called captors standing on the left, was standing at "parade rest" like soldiers do.
And lets face it they seemed a little too light in skin color to me.

[RapidCreek]

36. Yea I noticed that as well

these guys looked like the defensive line of the Chicago Bears...with light pink hands....not swarthy, lean terrorists. Their postures were also not indicative of those of middle easterners I've seen on the news and in other tapes.

RC

[Tinoire]

20. Thanks for posting this. It just RIPS your heart out for them. n/t

[RapidCreek]

26. You Bet....if you go to the link I think their emails are there.

I do feel sorry for them.....but not so much for their son. I know this is terribly harsh of me to say...but I have no sympathy for war profiteers. I myself am in a financial position which a trip to Iraq might cure. I however cannot make money off of a war at my fellow human beings expence. To me it is no different than robbing a liquor store.

The thing is...I wonder if this kids parents are painting the true picture of why he was there. I wonder if he went to take pictures or bear witness...and got caught...and killed for his trouble. It would be sad indeed if that was the reason he went and his parents feel compelled to say otherwise. I would have the utmost respect for him and mourn his death 'til my own, if that were the case.

RC

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. I have all the sympathy in the world for this man's son. I don't care

what the hell he was there for, he shouldn't have died for it. But then, I'm an empathetic person.

[RapidCreek]

46. Yes and it's good the world is graced with people like you

I however am not. I don't care for profiteering propogated via the murder of 8 to 20 thousand innocent human beings.

If you come into my house to steal from me....you'll pay a serious price.

RC

[pberq]

33. Why was he being questioned for 13 days?

SOMEBODY knows why the FBI held him for 13 days. Other people know why he was picked up by Iraqi police. Until a plausible explanation for these questions comes out we can only guess about what was really going on.

Also, the part about the parents suing Rumsfeld et al. Where's the official explanation about that?

[Generator]

37. I think it's just weird that he went to Iraq

to "look for work". That's what they said on my TV. To drum up business? Who goes to hell on earth without a secure contract to insure that it's worth going? Sorry, I've heard of adventure types, but unless he's a mercenary type, it seems damn strange to go to Iraq to find work.

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[grasswire]

39. we can't assume...

...that the AUDIO is legit.

The speaker is masked.

A new audio could have been dubbed.

[Spazito]

42. Wow, was just listening to Canadian News, CTV Newsnet...

the equivalent of CNN Headline News, only more credible, and they prefaced the report on the beheading with these words: "IF you believe the video" and emphasized the word IF. It is not just DUers that are questioning the video!

[Jackpine Radical]

48. OK-One more theory about a motive for the killing.

It provides a justification for not releasing the remaining pix/vids of torture. "If we release this stuff, more innocent Americans will be killed!"

It doesn't have to make sense, it only has to shut up the people who want the graphic data released.

[TahitiNut]

49. Cui bono? Sed quis custodiet ipsas custodes?

:eyes:

[RapidCreek]

51. Meos tam suspicione quam crimine iudico carere oportere

Bono custodes! O praeclarum custodem ovium lupum!

RC

[burrowowl]

52. SHEEP!

Sheeple!

[goodhue]

50. weird