Iraq alert for three NZ men

By AINSLEY THOMSON and HELEN TUNNAH

Three New Zealanders are in trouble in Iraq - one in hospital, one in custody and one missing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade last night gave details about two of the men.

One is in hospital in Baghdad and another is in British custody in Basra after initially being detained by Iraqi police.

The third is New Plymouth man Andreas Schafer, who disappeared in Iraq two weeks ago.

He was believed to have been detained by the Coalition Provisional Authority - the American-led authority in charge of Iraq.

Last night, the ministry said the man in British custody had been detained because of questions about the validity of his visa to enter Iraq.

The other man, an Iraqi-born New Zealand passport holder, was being treated in a Baghdad hospital after being injured.

The ministry said it would not give further details about these two men until their families had been contacted.

Mystery still surrounds the disappearance of Mr Schafer, who is believed to be 25.

People who knew him considered him an intelligent, unassuming person with a deft touch on the chessboard.

He grew up in Bell Block, north of New Plymouth, with his parents, Ursula and Wolfgang Schafer, and his older brother Cyril, an anthropologist.

The Schafer boys, who tower above those around them in school photos, attended Puketapu School and Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Plymouth.

Classmates described them as very bright students.

Peter Costellon was the college guidance counsellor during the time Andreas - known as Andy - was at the school before he left midway through sixth form in 1994 to go to polytech.

"He was a guy with a great sense of humour," Mr Costellon said.

One former college pupil was surprised to learn that Mr Schafer was in Iraq. He did not believe he would have been working in any security capacity.

Keith Okey, of the New Plymouth Chess Club, said Mr Schafer was a skilled chess player who would "show you up unless you knew what you were doing".

Mr Schafer's mother, Ursula, would not comment yesterday.

The US Embassy in Wellington said last night it had no evidence Mr Schafer had been in contact with the coalition authority or US troops in Iraq.

His family became concerned for his welfare after he sent an email which led them to believe he was being detained in Iraq.

Subsequent extensive inquiries have not found Mr Schafer.

A ministry spokesman said it had not been confirmed that he had been detained or kidnapped.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said neither she nor officials knew what Mr Schafer was doing in Iraq.

"The New Zealand Government's position is it does not negotiate with hostage takers, nor I understand do most governments.

"One would try to work with others to see if something could be done.

"But I think it's important to underline that as a government, we would not be expected to enter into negotiation."

Helen Clark said security in Iraq fluctuated.

She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had pointed out that if New Zealanders got into trouble in Iraq it would be difficult to help them.

"We simply are not there."

She reiterated the extreme danger of travelling in Iraq.

"We are issuing the gravest level of travel warning that we can - that in the middle of an insurgency Iraq is no place to be. We can't be clearer than that."

She hoped a handover to an Iraqi administration could be achieved by June 30, as United States President George Bush indicated yesterday remained the aim.

"It's very important that Iraqis come to control the direction of their country again. That's not to say that it will be plain sailing when they do.

"There's still hard times to go through."

The President's speech
The President's press conference

Herald Feature: Iraq