Re: Missing New Zealander in Iraq

1. We have received information in the past 24 hours that New Zealander Andreas Schafer is alive and well and in Iraq. We understand Mr Schafer has been in touch with his family.

2. It appears Mr Schafer is being detained by authorities in Iraq - it is not clear whether by the Iraqi police or the Coalition administration - and we are making enquiries through posts about where and why he is being held.

Background:

Mr Schafer's family contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade some weeks ago concerned that their son might be in trouble in Iraq. The Ministry made widespread enquiries through its posts and in London and Washington but these produced no information.

Two other New Zealanders formerly in Iraq have now left. An injured Iraqi born New Zealander is now receiving treatment in Jordan. A New Zealander released from British custody in Basra was released after enquiries into his visa status and is now understood to have left Iraq.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reiterates its advice that Iraq is an extremely dangerous environment and New Zealanders should not travel there. Any New Zealand civilian in Iraq should leave.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>