the ambulance carrying her. According to Mohammed's version of the events leading up to Lynch's rescue, he walked six miles to a United States Marine checkpoint to inform American forces that he knew where Lynch was being held. After talking with the Marines, Mohammed was then sent back to the hospital to gather information that was used to plan Lynch's rescue. Allegedly Mohammed returned to the checkpoint with five different maps of the hospital and the details of the security layout, reaction plan, and shift changes. The U.S. military reportedly learned of Lynch's location from several informants, one of whom was Mohammed. Leaving Iraq After learning of Mohammed's role in Lynch's rescue, Friends of Mohammed, a group based in Malden, West Virginia, was formed to fight for Mohammed's U.S. citizenship and to bring him to West Virginia. On April 29, 2003, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced that Mohammed Odeh al Rehaief, his wife, and their 5-year-old daughter had been granted humanitarian asylum on April 28. Al Rehaief and his family were brought to the United States at his request on April 10. Al Rehaief published a book, Because Each Life Is Precious (), in October 2003, for a reported US$150,000. In 2003 he took a job as a consultant at Livingston Group, a Washington D.C. lobbying firm run by former GOP Rep. Bob Livingston. Notes References Living people Iraqi emigrants to the United States 21st-century Iraqi lawyers People from Najaf 1970 births Year of birth uncertain University of Basrah alumni