Maupin was captured during an ambush on a convoy west of Baghdad on April 9. Maupin was among nine Americans, seven of them contractors, who disappeared after the April 9 attack. The bodies of four civilian employees of Kellogg Brown & Root - a subsidiary of Vice President Dick Cheney's former company Halliburton - were later found in a shallow grave near the site of the attack. The body of Sgt. Elmer Krause, of Greensboro, N.C. was later found.
The Arab satellite station aired video showing a blindfolded man sitting on the ground. Al-Jazeera said that in the next scene, gunmen shoot the man in the back of the head, in front of a hole dug in the ground. It did not show the killing.
Maj. Willie Harris, public affairs spokesman for the Army's 88th Regional Readiness Command, said the videotape is being analyzed by the Department of Defense.
"There is no confirmation at this time, that the tape contains footage of Matt Maupin or any other Army soldier,'' he said, adding that the Maupin family was briefed ''as to the existence of a videotape."
Al-Jazeera said a statement was issued with the video in the name of a group calling itself ''The Sharp Sword against the Enemies of God and His Prophet.'' In the statement, the militants said they killed the soldier because the United States did not change its policies in Iraq and to avenge ''martyrs'' in iraq, Saudi Arabia and Algeria.
Maupin was among nine Americans, seven of them contractors, who disappeared after the April 9 attack.
The bodies of four civilian employees of Kellogg Brown & Root - a subsidiary of Vice President Dick Cheney's former company Halliburton - were later found in a shallow grave near the site of the attack. The body of Sgt. Elmer Krause, of Greensboro, N.C. was later found.
One civilian driver, Thomas Hamill of Macon, Miss, was kidnapped but escaped from his captors nearly a month later. The others are missing.
Maupin was promoted in absentia on May 1 from private first class to the rank of specialist, said Maj. Mark Magalski, a spokesman for the 633rd QM Ballation, based in Cincinnati."
Source: Associated Press - June 28, 2004
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The news of the capture of Matt Maupin and the others was swift. News spread of the fate of the others, but, not another word was heard of Pfc. Maupin. We've asked repeatedly, "Where is Pfc. Keith M. Maupin?" "What happened to him?" Now, we hear this. It was stated above that this American GI POW is presumed to be Matt Maupin, although officially unconfirmed.
Our prayers, hopes and thoughts are with the Maupin family, as well as the families and friends of all our POW/MIAs. Also, our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to all the families and friends of all our KIAs.
We, The People, The American Patriots, continue to stand by and support our troops - at home and abroad!!
May God bless them all and may their return home be swift and safe!!
God bless America!!
