The photos are alleged to show the bodies of U.S. service men in Iraq. It's difficult to confirm that these are the soldiers that were captured some 3 weeks ago.

However, the HAQ News Agency, an Arab language site (with a broken English version), reports in what it calls an "exclusive" that two of the soldiers have been found decapitated.

The English translation is pretty rough:

Finding the bodies of two American soldiers with gotten head cut in al-Mahmoudia

... After six days of continuous search for the three soldiers captured the American occupation forces found today the bodies with gotten head cut related to two of the three soldiers captured in which the third soldier's fate is unknown so far.

... Police sources in the city of Mahmoudia said to our correspondent that the two bodies were found near one of their orchards in the city.

[The bodies] have appeared severe torture signs and with gotten head cut and the American forces that monitored 200 thousand dollar award to whom give them any information that led them to him.

[The American forces] continued searching for the third soldier in which [three] thousand of American soldiers deployed along with government forces.

[They are] accompanied by air cover involving fighter planes, helicopters and unmanned spy planes in different parts of the city areas of Mahmoudia, Latifiyah and Yusufiyah, hoping to find any evidence to lead to them to the third soldier.

Since that report the third soldier has been found:

Iraqi police dragged a body from the Euphrates River on Wednesday and said it was one of three American soldiers abducted in an ambush claimed by al-Qaeda.

Military officials told the family of Private Joseph Anzack that a commanding officer had identified his body, but that DNA tests were still pending.

"They told us, 'We're sorry to inform you the body we found has been identified as Joe,"' Debbie Anzack, the soldier's aunt, told Associated Press. "I'm in disbelief."

About 4,000 US and Iraqi troops have been searching for the missing soldiers.

Captain Muthanna al-Maamouri, a police spokesman in Hilla, near where the body was found, said there were bullet wounds on the victim, who was wearing US army-issue trousers and boots and had a tattoo on his left arm.

"This is one of the missing soldiers," Capt Maamouri said. The police also said there were signs of torture.

The three were taken after an ambush south of Baghdad on May 12.

Not for the Squeamish

tags: iraq  us  soldiers  beheaded  decapitation  

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