US man captured by militia in Iraq released to UN
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}March 17: American identified as Randy Michael Hultz was shown on television in a U.S. military uniform with no insignia. (Reuters)
An American citizen says he was released from more than nine months of imprisonment by a Shiite militia that for years targeted U.S. troops.
Although the man did not identify himself, Iraqi lawmakers showed U.S.-issued military and contractor ID cards that identified him as Randy Michael Hultz.
Hultz told reporters he was grateful for his release.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said "It was explained to me that this is a gift to me, my family and to the American people who oppose the war."
He gave few details of what he described as a "kidnapping," or how he was treated while captured.
Hultz said the kidnappers were from the Promised Day Brigade, a branch of the Mahdi Army, which is a militia that is controlled by the anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hultz said he deployed to Iraq in 2003 as an active-duty soldier but left the military after 15 months. At that point, he said, he worked in a "civilian capacity" until his kidnapping on June 18, 2011.
He has been transferred to the U.S. Embassy.