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    Jessica Buchanan's Husband Calls Kidnapping 'Three Months of Hell'

    The husband of a rescued American aid worker said the time his wife spent in Somali captivity were "three months of hell" and that he even kept the secret from many of his friends in order to protect her.

    "This morning, after going through three months of hell with Somali pirates, my amazing wife was saved by the American military and she is now in saftey!" Erik Landemalm wrote on his Facebook in Swedish. "Words cannot describe the joy and relief we feel! Thank you to all that have helped and apologies to all our friends I haven't shared this with. This a day of Happiness!"

    Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Danish colleague Poul Hagen Thisted, 60, were rescued early Wednesday by SEAL Team 6 -- the same group involved in the mission that killed Osama bin Laden last spring -- in a daring mission at a remote encampment deep in northern Somalia.

    Christina Scolforo, a close friend of Buchanan, says that her abduction was intentionally kept from the media.

    "We didn't want them to get media hype that would cause them to think that she was worth more, and they would want more of a ransom, and then it would prolong the time that she was captive, so a lot of it was hush," Scolforo said.

    Bachanan's immediate family is now meeting with her at a U.S. military base in Sicily, Italy, members of the woman's extended family told ABC News.

    "She says she feels safe for the first time in 93 days. The men that risked their lives … I just can't say enough so I really, really appreciate it," Dave Buchanan, Jessica's uncle said.

    Slideshow: Somalia Hostages Freed in Daring Navy SEAL Rescue

    Buchanan and Thisted, who worked with the Danish Refugee Council's Danish Demining Group, were abducted Oct. 25, 2011 by a group of Somali bandits and held for ransom.

    "We are very grateful that Jessica has been rescued," Buchanan's family said in a statement Wednesday. "This has been just an unbelievable answer to prayers and we are so grateful for the work of the president, the Navy SEALs and the State Department and we knew that God would set our sister free."

    At approximately 1:40 a.m. Wednesday local time -- 5:40 p.m. Tuesday eastern time -- SEAL Team 6 was aboard a specially equipped C-130 moving rapidly toward the target -- a remote encampment deep in northern Somalia.

    One by one the SEALs hurled themselves out of the plane at high altitude, parachuting silently to within a few miles of the hideout, then hiking to the enemy grounds, which were pitch black, with armed pirates everywhere.

    Within minutes of arriving at the encampment gunfire erupted from the kidnappers, but the SEALs quickly killed all nine of the heavily armed kidnappers. By approximately 2:30 a.m. local time the hostages -- now in U.S. hands -- were moved on board black hawk helicopters and headed for Djibouti.

    In a statement released by the White House, President Obama said he had authorized a rescue mission Monday.

    "Thanks to the extraordinary courage and capabilities of our Special Operations Forces, yesterday Jessica Buchanan was rescued and she is on her way home. As commander-in-chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts," Obama said in the statement.

    The president said he spoke with Buchanan's father Monday night, "and told him that all Americans have Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with her family.

    In Somalia Buchanan served as a regional education adviser at the Danish Demining Group, a division of the Danish Refugee Council, according to her LinkedIn profile.

    "She loves kids and she loves to help people and that's the reason she was over there. Just to help," Dave Buchanan said.

    Over the three months of her captivity, concern grew about Buchanan's deteriorating health, which was described as possibly "life-threatening" and a "window of opportunity for mission success" presented itself, according to Pentagon spokesperson George Little.

    ABC News' Martha Raddatz, Dana Hughes and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

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    • Steve  •  4 mths ago
      50 minutes out of the plane and 9 idiots are dead and she is heading to freedom, that is flat out awesome! To think I was bored driving home from a day at work while Seal Team 6 was dropping Somalis like sacks of grain! Thank you US military! Again!
      • AfflackQuack 4 mths ago
        Now that's what I call a successful mission !
      • Helpless 4 mths ago
        She should not have been there.
      • Chris. 4 mths ago
        I agree with you 99.9%. Instead of "Somalis," let's say "Somali pirates" like the scumbags they are. A lot of good Somalis don't like the pirates, and suffer because of them (just ask your next taxi driver in NY or LA - lots of friendly Somalis). Imagine how bad it must suck to be an honest Somali trapped there. That's all. Otherwise HOORAH!
    • Mary  •  Los Angeles, California  •  4 mths ago
      Navy Seals deserve and should be paid as much as the NFL & NBA players
      • Greg K 4 mths ago
        The military in general should be
      • RS 4 mths ago
        They should be paid more. Professional athletes are way over paid for not even doing a job. They play a game. Good job Seals! You have my utmost respect for what you do for our country.
      • The Wickerman48 4 mths ago
        At least pay them what we pay the clowns in Congress,if not a hell of a lot more considering they work 18 to 20 hours a day.
    • Gordon  •  Dallas, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      There are no words to express my admiration for the US military; they work tirelessly to provide the safety and security for our Nation. The Special Forces are incredible men that provide amazing capabilities; far beyond anything normal people can ever realize. The continuous training, the family pressures, dedication to duty; I am personally in awe. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Thank you!
      • Kara Saentibaybay 4 mths ago
        You're joking, right, Gordon?

        The Team 6 and their commander-in-chief are wimps!! Just look at the Marine held in death row in Iran!!

        US military are a bunch of wimps!!
      • Lou 4 mths ago
        Get your facts straight before you post, Gordon. The men who carried out this raid are United States Navy SEALs, not Special Forces. Special Forces, a.k.a., Green Berets, belong to the United States Army. If you are referring to special operations units of all four branches in our military, then you should use the term Special Operations Forces.
      • petals401 4 mths ago
        Kara Saentibaybay, you don't even know what you're talking about. You're probably not even of this Nation. I have grown up with, lived with, and breathed the United States Armed Forces since birth, and I can definitely say, they are NOT wimps, including Team 6. Are you saying you can do better? Until you've served, you can't judge. I want you to say that to an Marine's face, too, typing tough guy. I bet you're all talk behind a keyboard, but would be as wimpy as you perceive Team 6. Or you can come on over to Camp Lejeune and tell me. I'd be happy to show you how "wimpy" I am.
    • Chris  •  Raleigh, North Carolina  •  4 mths ago
      Don't mess with Seal Team 6.... Just don't do it. Amazing job guys.... Cheers!
    • Captain Spaulding  •  4 mths ago
      Just the other day an engineer with American/German citizenship was kidnapped as soon as he entered the country.I use the word country only because you have to call it something.It's a failed state and the African joint security forces have to start kicking some #$%$
      • dikfitswel 4 mths ago
        ey Captain, why do foriegners continue going to that God forsaken hell hole?
        I just dont get it.
      • Col. Kurtz 4 mths ago
        AJSF will do nothing.
    • Benjamin  •  Exeter, New Hampshire  •  4 mths ago
      Great work by some of the best operators in the world. And why are so many people angry that these SEALs were placed in harms way to rescue Mrs. Buchanan? I cannot imagine that any SEAL would not jump at the opportunity to take part in such an operation. This is what they WANT to do, and they are #$%$ good at it. Thankfully there are people like Mrs. Buchanan who do the dangerous (and often thankless) job of helping those in need, and thankfully there are the Navy SEALs to get them out when things go wrong. I do not see any need to lay blame on anyone except the Somali criminals.
    • SweetMommy  •  4 mths ago
      Go Team Six!!!
    • VeronicaC  •  San Antonio, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      Heroes all the way!! Whatever their salary, it isn't enough.
    • Allan Martin  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      What we see as front page news, the Seals call it just another day... Well done
    • Cynthia  •  Rutland, Vermont  •  4 mths ago
      Love you American Navy Seals!
    • Maura  •  Troy, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      I wish I could personally shake the hand of every member of Seal Team 6. They are doing so much for our country.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Everett, Washington  •  4 mths ago
      So proud of team 6, glad they're on our side, good job guys, thanks.
    • Dirk Bold  •  4 mths ago
      Go Seal Team 6...thanks again!
    • M  •  Minneapolis, Minnesota  •  4 mths ago
      Welcome home Jessica and God Bless to all of our Armed Forces here and abroad.
    • SamIam9  •  Newark, New Jersey  •  4 mths ago
      There are still genuine heroes in the world.
    • mitchell  •  Sandstone, Minnesota  •  4 mths ago
      Nice to let #$%$ know... wherever you are... we're coming.
    • AbstractNotions  •  4 mths ago
      This sends a clear message to thugs around the world that there are consequences for their actions. It was a great operation by our special forces and I'm thankful Obama didn't shy away from making the call to go ahead with the rescue.
    • Chuck  •  Fairmount, Georgia  •  4 mths ago
      GO NAVY
    • StevieBoy  •  Nashville, Tennessee  •  4 mths ago
      And how much they do for us we DON'T know about. Thanks Guys.
    • no name  •  4 mths ago
      Seals great job..Thanks for what you are have done. Show them that do not mess with USA......
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