13 Iraq Olympic Hostages Freed

(ATR) Five hostages from the Iraq National Olympic Committee remain captives following the release of 13 of those seized nearly two weeks ago in an armed raid on a meeting of the NOC in Baghdad.

Still being held are President Ahmed Al Samarrai and Secretary General Ammar Jabbar.

Sketchy details on this latest release, which came about one week after a group of four were freed in a Baghdad neighborhood. Six others were freed the day after the July 15 attack.

The newly freed include office staff and body guards.

NOC Director General Tiras Odisho is expressing hope that the release is a good sign for the remaining captives.

There have been no claims of responsibility for the raid by a group of 50 gunmen. Dressed in camouflage uniforms, the attackers singled out 30 people from the meeting and drove them off, killing two guards and wounding the NOCI press officer in the leg.

Odisho says he hopes the current visit of Iraq's Prime Minister to Washington would be an occasion to urge Nuri al-Maliki to work for the release of the hostages.

He wrote to the U.S. Olympic Committee asking for help getting out the word: "if you would issue an appeal on behalf of USOC and all US Olympians to the PM asking him to do his best for the release of our NOC leadership".

Al Samarrai and Jabbar have led the NOCI since January 2004 when it was reformed after the dissolution of the old committee from Saddam Hussein regime headed by Hussein son Uday.

The kidnappings have been condemned by Olympic colleagues of the Iraqis, who have also offered to provide help for athletes to train in safety. The Jordanian NOC is taking a lead in this cause, while on Friday, the Olympic Council of Asia and European Olympic Committees will meet in Rome to discuss what can be done additionally.