THE BALTIMORE STAR Wednesday, November 7, 2004
President's Daughter returned safely, Graham to commend the heroes involved
– by Alyssa Ashcroft
Leon Scott Kennedy is to be recognized with an award in D. C. after the rescue of Ashley Graham from the Los Illuminados cult.
Baltimore-Annapolis Area – The nation breathed a sigh of relief today as Ashley Graham, the daughter of current incumbent President George Graham, descended the steps of Air Force One at the Baltimore Washington Airport with her father. Ashley Graham's return to the states marked the end of her kidnapping by the Spain-based cult, Los Illuminados, or, "The Enlightened". The USSTRATCOM agents responsible, Leon Scott Kennedy and Ingrid Hunnigan, spent one day and night infiltrating the foreign cult on this rescue mission.
Ashley Graham, a student of Georgetown University, was in the middle of Fall Break when she was kidnapped by former US Army Lieutenant, and USSTRATCOM operative, Lt. Jack Krauser. Jack, acting as an agent for Los Illuminados, kidnapped Ms. Graham on November 3, 2004 from her hotel. She was reported missing an hour later by a concerned friend who noticed she was gone. "I was carried and lock in this room- it was terrifying," Ms. Graham said about the incident. Ms. Graham was transported to Valdelobos, Spain, and held captive by high ranking Los Illuminados members. Los Illuminados had been on the radar of the CIA for years due to security concerns and growing outside resentment for US operations. The cult demanded a hefty ransom from the United States government for the safe return of Ms. Graham. Not harming people though, was never on the agenda for Los Illuminados. The cult has claimed responsibility for several terror attacks with biological weapons in the form of dirty bombs, two of which went of in the last year in populated metropolitan areas.
Suspecting a biological weapon to be involved in the motivations for the kidnapping, USSTRATCOM operated under Anti-Virus Weapons Protocol No. 7600, using a small team of two persons for minimal risk rescue operations. Leon Kennedy, a Raccoon City Survivor, and USSTRATCOM Agent, as well as USSTRATCOM Operator Ingrid Hunnigan began operations November 4th. By the 5th of November Ashley and Leon made their way into Madrid.
"I can't go into too much detail but I can say it was not what I expected at all. The members there offered quite the resistance in my retrieval of the President's daughter, but I was able to locate her and bring her home safely," Kennedy said upon exiting Airforce One.
Prime Minister Jose Gil-Dominguez as well as members of the Special Forces, Grupos de Operaciones Especiales greeted the party as they arrived safely. The Prime Minister stated, "We do not condone the violence being done in the name of extremist groups," citing the train bombings that resulted in his special election in March,"-groups like the Los Illuminados do not represent the core of Spanish values, and must be actively, and wholly resisted. They are terror groups."
"USSTRATCOM investigated Miss Graham's abduction with cooperation from Spanish authorities. Local police were chartered to assist Mr. Kennedy with the operation, but the faction responsible for taking Miss Graham, known as 'Los Illuminados', anticipated Mr. Kennedy's arrival. I coordinated with Mr. Leon Kennedy as a field supervisor and operator over the course of a few days to extract Miss Graham," Agent Hunnigan told the press.
Los Illuminados has joined the ranks of other terrorism groups listed in the Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and this designation has imposed temporary financial sanctions, increased national security against, and immigration restrictions upon Spain.
Leon Kennedy and Ingrid Hunnigan have been nominated by USSTRATCOM Director of Intelligence, John Laurel and US Representative Kenneth Green (VA) to receive a Medal of Honor for their service. "They accomplished a feat of heroism against impossible odds, and protected the country from a potential tragedy. Never in the modern age have we been faced with an incumbent family member being kidnapped," Laurel stated, as both of his agents returned home.
President Graham will be presenting them with a unique commendation later this month. Ashley Graham will return to her studies, and is slated to graduate on time. "I'm just glad it's over," she said, "it takes time maybe not anytime soon but I'll move forward a small pace at a time '
