Archbishop kidnapped in Iraq released unharmed

The Syrian Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Basile Georges Casmoussa, aged 66, who was abducted by unidentified gunmen yesterday afternoon, was released earlier today and is now back in his home.

According to Father Dwraid Brbar of the Mosul diocese, the abductors probably took the wrong person. They were not aware that he was an archbishop. "Initially they asked for a ransom, but when they realised that they had taken a member of the Catholic Church they released him without demanding money".

Casmoussa was born in Iraq and has been archbishop of the Syrian Catholic rite in Mosul since 1999.