Bodies of Iraqi Taekwondo Athletes Discovered

June 18, 2007

The remains of 13 members of an Iraqi taekwondo team kidnapped last year have been found in western Iraq. The team had been driving to a training camp in neighboring Jordan in May 2006, when their convoy was stopped and all 15 athletes abducted along a road between the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, in Anbar province.

“We join the victims’ families and civilized people everywhere in mourning the deaths of the Iraqi taekwondo athletes," says USAT CEO David Askinas. "The targeting of athletes, coaches, sports administrators and all innocent people by terrorists is one of the truly abhorrent tactics of this war. I am reminded of an Elvis Costello song from the 80s that included the lyrics, 'What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?' The world needs a lot more of all those things right now."

Source:http://www.usa-taekwondo.u s/