Anglican envoy Terry Waite emerged from nearly five years of captivity, chained to a wall by his Shiite Muslim kidnapers, with his smiling, gentle nature intact. The 52-year-old Waite was released on November 18 along with Thomas Sutherland, 60, one of the hostages whose freedom Waite was seeking when taken in January 1987.
Appearing before reporters just after their release, the two were able to joke about their misfortunes. Sutherland, who was held for about six-and-a-half years, said he never would have made it through his ordeal without the company of Waite.
Waite reported that his kidnapers said the three remaining American hostages would be released by the end of November.
Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Our digital archives are a work in progress. Let us know if corrections need to be made.
Annual & Monthly subscriptions available.
- Print & Digital Issues of CT magazine
- Complete access to every article on ChristianityToday.com
- Unlimited access to 65+ years of CT’s online archives
- Member-only special issues
- Learn more
More from this Issue
Read These Next
- TrendingAmerican Christians Should Stand with Israel under AttackWhile we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
- From the MagazineFractured Are the PeacemakersA Christian reconciliation group in Israel and Palestine warned that war would come. Now the war threatens their relevance.españolالعربيةFrançais
- Editor's PickHold Your ClapbacksC.S. Lewis recommended discernment over diatribes in exactly the moments we’re most eager to indulge in critique.