An American Hostage in Iraq

Dr. Nabil Seyam grew up in a poor Palestinian home in Kuwait, dreaming one day of well. After graduating from Wichita State University, where he married his first wife, Carrie, the two moved back to Kuwait to start a family. at an American school. his job. He and his family went into survival mode, selling eggs outside mosques and driving as far as Basra, Iraq, to sell electronics. His family, being Palestinian, passed through the checkpoints the Iraqis had set up across Kuwait. Seyam, being a Palestinian-American, knew he was at risk. Other Americans were being detained. Some were arrested and taken to strategic locations as human shields. arrested, beaten, and bused to Baghdad, where he was among a group of 25 captives. headquarters for operations. International pressure helped free Seyam, but the experience left him nearly penniless and jobless. The captivity kept him from seeing the birth of his third child, who was with Carrie in Wichita. and his family bought groceries with food stamps. He got odd jobs at temp agencies. He fought to get his life back. company, overseeing many plants. He lives in an upscale neighborhood on a golf course. But his new life is more than just a corporate success story.