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Tom Fox (activist)
Encyclopedia
Thomas William "Tom" Fox (1951–2006) was an American
Quaker peace activist
, affiliated with Christian Peacemaker Teams
(CPT) in Iraq
. He was kidnapped on November 26, 2005 in Baghdad
along with three other CPT activists, leading to the 2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis
. His body was found on March 9, 2006.
, Fox was a leader of youth programs at Langley Hill Friends Meeting in McLean, Virginia. Fox served in many positions in Baltimore Yearly Meeting
, including a stint as Youth Programs Director, where he devoted much of his time to personally working with teenagers and young adults in the Baltimore Yearly Meeting community; he served as a Friendly Adult Presence, during the majority of the BYM Young Friends program's gatherings during the first half of the 2000s and the later 1990s.
He served for 20 years in the United States Marine Band
and was an accomplished player of clarinet
and recorder
. In a public statement his daughter Katherine mentioned that on principle he refused military discounts for which he was eligible.
On December 10, 2005 Katherine Fox issued a statement saying that she and her father believe the Iraqi people have legitimate concerns about the United States' presence in Iraq, but "these grievances, however, will not be resolved by taking my father's life."
On March 7, 2006 al-Jazeera aired a tape which showed the other three hostages, but did not show Fox. Thus far there was no explanation for his absence. Rebecca Johnson of Christian Peacemaker Teams stated that public speculation on the reason for Fox's absence was "unhelpful".
On March 10, 2006 the U.S. State Department announced that Fox's body had been found on a garbage heap in Baghdad, shot through the head and chest. According to Iraqi police, his hands were bound and signs of torture were evident. However, conflicting reports from an anonymous Iraqi police official and members of CPT stated that there were no signs of torture. The autopsy report was not released.
On March 23, 2006 the remaining hostages were freed by multinational forces.
Muharib Abdul-Latif al-Jubouri (an Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader) is believed to have personally killed Fox. Al-Jubouri was killed in May 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Quaker peace activist
Peace activist
This list of peace activists includes people who proactively advocate diplomatic, non-military resolution of political disputes, usually through nonviolent means.A peace activist is an activist of the peace movement.*Jane Addams*Martti Ahtisaari...
, affiliated with Christian Peacemaker Teams
Christian Peacemaker Teams
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an international organization set up to support teams of peace workers in conflict areas around the world. These teams believe that they can lower the levels of violence through nonviolent direct action, human rights documentation, and nonviolence training. CPT sums...
(CPT) in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He was kidnapped on November 26, 2005 in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
along with three other CPT activists, leading to the 2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis
2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis
The Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis involved four human rights workers of Christian Peacemaker Teams who were held hostage in Iraq from November 26, 2005 by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade...
. His body was found on March 9, 2006.
Life and career
From Clear Brook, VirginiaClear Brook, Virginia
Clear Brook is an unincorporated farming community in northern Frederick County, Virginia. The community lies approximately six miles north of the county seat of Winchester along Martinsburg Pike . It is the site of the Kenilworth home, once owned by Harry K...
, Fox was a leader of youth programs at Langley Hill Friends Meeting in McLean, Virginia. Fox served in many positions in Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Baltimore Yearly Meeting is a body of the Religious Society of Friends headquartered in Sandy Spring, Maryland that includes Friends from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. It was the first Yearly Meeting founded in North America, meeting in May 1672...
, including a stint as Youth Programs Director, where he devoted much of his time to personally working with teenagers and young adults in the Baltimore Yearly Meeting community; he served as a Friendly Adult Presence, during the majority of the BYM Young Friends program's gatherings during the first half of the 2000s and the later 1990s.
He served for 20 years in the United States Marine Band
United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States...
and was an accomplished player of clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
. In a public statement his daughter Katherine mentioned that on principle he refused military discounts for which he was eligible.
Iraq hostage crisis
On November 26, 2005 Fox was taken hostage along with three other members of the CPT team in Iraq. The captors threatened to kill all hostages unless the United States freed all Iraqi prisoners held in the US and Iraq by December 8, 2005. They later extended this deadline to December 10, 2005.On December 10, 2005 Katherine Fox issued a statement saying that she and her father believe the Iraqi people have legitimate concerns about the United States' presence in Iraq, but "these grievances, however, will not be resolved by taking my father's life."
On March 7, 2006 al-Jazeera aired a tape which showed the other three hostages, but did not show Fox. Thus far there was no explanation for his absence. Rebecca Johnson of Christian Peacemaker Teams stated that public speculation on the reason for Fox's absence was "unhelpful".
On March 10, 2006 the U.S. State Department announced that Fox's body had been found on a garbage heap in Baghdad, shot through the head and chest. According to Iraqi police, his hands were bound and signs of torture were evident. However, conflicting reports from an anonymous Iraqi police official and members of CPT stated that there were no signs of torture. The autopsy report was not released.
On March 23, 2006 the remaining hostages were freed by multinational forces.
Muharib Abdul-Latif al-Jubouri (an Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader) is believed to have personally killed Fox. Al-Jubouri was killed in May 2007.
See also
- 2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis2005-2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisisThe Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis involved four human rights workers of Christian Peacemaker Teams who were held hostage in Iraq from November 26, 2005 by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade...
- James Loney
- Norman KemberNorman KemberNorman Frank Kember is an Emeritus Professor of biophysics at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and a Christian pacifist active in campaigning on issues of war and peace. As a Baptist, a long-standing member of the Baptist Peace Fellowship and the Fellowship of Reconciliation...
- Harmeet Singh SoodenHarmeet Singh SoodenHarmeet Singh Sooden is a Canadian and New Zealand citizen who volunteered for Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq. From November 26, 2005, he was held captive in Iraq with three others and threatened with execution until being freed by multinational forces in an operation on March 23, 2006.Sooden...
External links
- Tom Fox's blog
- David Cook: The Story Of Tom Fox - And Response, opinion column, The Chattanoogan, 9 Dec 2005
- Christian Peacemaker Teams
- Tom Fox Memorial from Christian Peacemaker Teams
- Free The Captives: Petition for the release of Christian Peacemakers being held in Iraq and memorial page for Tom Fox
- Links to articles about Tom's capture
- Song For Tom Fox by The Tremulance