http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/18/iraq/index.html
MOSUL, Iraq - [size=-1]A Catholic archbishop kidnapped in northern Iraq (news - web sites) was freed Tuesday , a day after his abduction, without any ransom being paid, the Vatican (news - web sites) said. [/size]
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Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, 66, of the Syrian Catholic Church was kidnapped by gunmen in the city of Mosul on Monday.
"He has been freed and he is on his way home without paying any ransom," said Potris Moshi, an assistant to the church leader.
Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II, who had prayed for the bishop's release, was informed straight away of the release, said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.
He immediately changed his prayer to one of thanks, Navarro-Valls said.
The Vatican said that a ransom of $200,000 had been initially demanded.
Christians make up just 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people. The major Christian groups include Chaldean-Assyrians and Armenians with small numbers of Roman Catholics.
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MOSUL, Iraq - [size=-1]A Catholic archbishop kidnapped in northern Iraq (news - web sites) was freed Tuesday , a day after his abduction, without any ransom being paid, the Vatican (news - web sites) said. [/size]
[size=-1]
Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, 66, of the Syrian Catholic Church was kidnapped by gunmen in the city of Mosul on Monday.
"He has been freed and he is on his way home without paying any ransom," said Potris Moshi, an assistant to the church leader.
Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II, who had prayed for the bishop's release, was informed straight away of the release, said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.
He immediately changed his prayer to one of thanks, Navarro-Valls said.
The Vatican said that a ransom of $200,000 had been initially demanded.
Christians make up just 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people. The major Christian groups include Chaldean-Assyrians and Armenians with small numbers of Roman Catholics.
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