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CNN shows video of missing U.S. soldier in Iraq | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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BAGHDAD,(Reuters) – CNN broadcast on Wednesday what it said was a video showing a U.S.-Iraqi soldier who was kidnapped in Baghdad nearly five months ago.

The undated video, posted on a militant Web site, showed Ahmed al-Taie, a 41-year-old linguist, reading a statement. “Proof of life was a condition for continuing dialogue,” with the kidnappers, his uncle, Entifadh al-Taie, told CNN from Washington. “There is no date on this. We don’t know if he is in good shape now.”

Taie was kidnapped on Oct. 23 while visiting relatives after leaving the security of the heavily fortified Green Zone that houses the Iraqi government, U.S. embassy and other missions. His family said he had been taken by Shi’ite militiamen.

The U.S. military initially set up checkpoints around Sadr City, the stronghold of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mehdi Army militia, as part of a huge security sweep to find him.

Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki ordered the checkpoints lifted after residents of the sprawling slum complained of collective punishment.

Taie, a reservist deployed to Iraq in November 2005, was married in February 2005. His wife was in Iraq at the time of his kidnapping.