'Daddy, I love you, I'm OK': Father's emotional phone call with hostage daughter as he says he's 'proud' of U.S. Navy SEALs who carried out daring rescue mission in Somalia



Jessica Buchanan, 32, was working for aid group clearing mines

Fellow worker Poul Hagen Thisted, from Denmark, also freed

Nine pirates killed and five captured in ferocious gun battle

Navy SEAL Team Six parachuted in and launched raid at dead of night

Obama congratulates soldiers and Leon Panetta on rescue operation

School teachers describe Buchanan as 'very Christian' and 'committed'



His ailing daughter, held captive in Somalia since October, will soon be safely on her way home to the U.S. after a bold, dark-of-night-rescue by Navy SEALs.

John Buchanan had not spoken with his daughter, Jessica, in over 90 days when a team of special operatives parachuted into the pirate encampment and engaged in a fierce gunfight to rescue the 32-year-old aid worker and her Danish colleague, 60-year-old Poul Hagen Thisted this weekend.

Finally, relief set in for the worried father when he picked up the phone and for the first time in over three months heard his daughter's voice on Tuesday night. 'She said, "Daddy, I love you, and I'll be fine. I'm OK."' Mr Buchanan recalled.

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Free: American Jessica Buchanan, left, and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, right, were rescued by Navy SEALs



'It was pretty amazing and incredible that she's fine and (the SEAL teams) were able to do something and get her,' he said.

As Chris Francescani reports for CBS News, President Barack Obama called Mr Buchanan within minutes of Tuesday night's State of the Union address.

Mr Buchanan knew his daughter's health had been declining, and that it might be a trigger for a rescue mission. But he had no idea what to expect when the phone rang.

Someone had phoned Mr Buchanan from the Situation Room and told him to make sure his phone line was clear for an important call. For 40 minutes, he said, he waited with Jessica's sister for news of his daughter's health and whereabouts.



Finally, he told CBS: 'A guy came on the phone and said "Mr. Buchanan, the next voice you'll hear will be the President of the United States." I said "OK." I'm thinking "this could be some kind of cruel joke."

'He said, "John, this is Barack Obama. I've got some really good news for you. Your daughter Jessica has been rescued and evacuated by our SEAL team and she's on her way home." He said he empathized with me, having two daughters, and said something to the effect of how proud he was that our young people would go help these other people.'

Within minutes, he heard from Jessica.

Giving gratitude to FBI investigators and the special operatives who supported and carried out the mission to save his her, Mr Buchanan said: 'We're just extremely grateful to God first, and to the U.S. government. They've been great throughout this whole thing - from the first day there were there, supporting us.'

Held captive: Ms Buchanan, left, of Virginia, and Mr Thisted, right, are seen speaking in a hostage video

'I love my daughter,' he continued. 'I'm just thrilled that she's ok and she's back. It sounds corny but I really am proud to be an American. We are the greatest country in the world, with the best resources. And I'm grateful to be an American.'

Mr Buchanan spoke out after dramatic details emerged yesterday of how the elite U.S. special forces team responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden, which launched its raid on the pirate base in the middle of the night near Adado, Somali to rescue Jessica Buchanan, of Rosslyn, Virginia, and Poul Hagen Thisted, of Denmark.

'The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice' President Barack Obama

Nine Somali pirates were killed and five captured by the SEALs unit responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden,.

The U.S. special forces crept up on the captors - with the overnight guards asleep after chewing on the narcotic leaf qat for much of the evening - and had originally intended to detain them alive.

But they changed plans and killed nine of the pirates when the frantic gunfight ensued. The pirates were heavily armed with explosives 'nearby', but no U.S. personnel were injured, military officials said.

In an old hostage video seen on TV2 Denmark, Mr Thisted says: 'As you can see Jessica and myself are safe and are being treated well by the group here in Somalia. It is important that no-one attacks.'

U.S. President Barack Obama said of the operation: ‘This is yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people.

‘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.’

Mission: Two teams of U.S. Navy SEALs rescued the hostages after a gun battle with (file picture)

The mission was carried out by SEAL Team Six - the unit which killed Al Qaeda leader Bin Laden last May in Abbottabad, Pakistan - but the personnel involved this time were different, U.S. officials said.

The two hostages were seized in Galkayo in Galmudug, northern Somalia, where they had been working for the Danish De-mining Group , which clears unexploded ordnance in conflict zones in Africa and the Middle East.

A spokesman for the Danish Refugee Council said: 'We confirm that Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted have been rescued earlier today during an operation in Somalia.



'The two aid workers from the Danish Refugee Council's de-mining unit are both unharmed and at a safe location.' Both are now ‘on their way to be reunited with their families’, the DRC said.

Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal said the poor health of one hostage had led the U.S. to take action and the operation did not necessarily pave the way for further missions.

Sources involved with the hostages said that former teacher Ms Buchanan had been suffering from a possible kidney infection.



Vice President Joe Biden told NBC that it was understood Ms Buchanan's health 'was beginning to decline' and the U.S. 'wanted to act'.

He had high praise for the special forces. 'It takes your breath away, their capacity and their bravery,' he said. 'These guys and women are amazing.'

The rescue operation took place about 12 miles north of the town of Adow, near the pirate haven of Haradheere, Galmudug's president Mohamed Ahmed Alim said.

Mr Alim, speaking from Hobyo, another major pirate base north of Haradheere, said he was also negotiating to secure the release of an American journalist kidnapped on Saturday.

'About 12 U.S. helicopters are now at Galkayo. We thank the United States,’ he said. ‘Pirates have spoilt the whole region's peace and ethics. They are mafia.'

The SEALs, with helicopter back-up, had parachuted into the area and made their way to the rescue site on foot.



According to one pirate, who gave his name as Bile Hussein, t he SEALs came in very quickly, catching the guards at 2am local time as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf qat for much of the evening.

'It takes your breath away, their capacity and their bravery. These guys and women are amazing' Vice President Joe Biden

Mr Hussein said he was not present at the site but had spoken with other pirates who were, and that they told him nine pirates had been killed in the raid and three were missing.

While U.S. and French forces have intervened to rescue pirate hostages at sea before now, attacks on pirate bases are very rare.

The only U.S. base in sub-Saharan Africa is in neighbouring Djibouti and media reports said the hostages had been flown there.

President Obama was overheard congratulating Defence Secretary Leon Panetta as he entered the House of Representatives chamber to give his annual State of the Union speech.



'Good job': President Barack Obama, centre, was overheard congratulating Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, left, as he entered the House of Representatives chamber to give his State of the Union speech on Tuesday 'Leon. Good job tonight. Good job tonight,' President Obama said, apparently referring to the success of the rescue operation. But he did not mention the rescue during his speech. 'Jessica Buchanan was selflessly serving her fellow human beings when she was taken hostage by criminals and pirates who showed no regard for her health and well-being' President Barack Obama

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain John Kirby said although the two hostages were safe by the time President Obama gestured to Mr Panetta, the secretive rescue mission had not yet been completed.

The timing of the operation was a huge bonus for President Obama, who is running for re-election to the White House this year and had already been offering voters a strong national defence record. But U.S. officials told CBS that the mission was timed around the weather and a new moon, rather than the President's key State of the Union address. Phone call: Barack Obama, seen with wife Michelle, called Ms Buchanan's dad John to say: 'All Americans have Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with her family'

President Obama called Ms Buchanan's father John on Tuesday night to tell him: 'All Americans have Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with her family.'

U.S. MILITARY EFFORTS IN SOMALIA

U.S. forces killed senior Al Qaeda militant Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan in southern Somalia in 2009. He was suspected of building the bomb that killed 15 people at an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya in 2002. Several other Al Qaeda or Al Shabaab officials have been killed in U.S. drone strikes in Somalia over the past few years. No American soldiers were killed in the operation on Wednesday morning. U.S. and French forces have intervened to rescue pirate hostages at sea, but attacks on pirate bases are very rare. It was unlikely to deter pirates who rake in millions of dollars each year in ransoms. The U.S. journalist and a number of sailors from elsewhere are reportedly being held by pirates. A British tourist kidnapped from Kenya last September is also still being held captive in Somalia.

Mr Panetta said Ms Buchanan and Mr Thisted 'have been transported to a safe location where we will evaluate their health and make arrangements for them to return home'.



He added: 'This was a team effort and required close coordination, especially between the Department of Defense and our colleagues in the Federal Bureau of Investigation.'



Mr Panetta visited U.S. troops in Djibouti last month on his way to Afghanistan and Iraq.

It was a stopover that reflected the Obama administration's growing focus on the militant and piracy threats emanating from Yemen and the eastern edge of Africa.

In Djibouti, the U.S. has a platform to monitor, partly through the use of surveillance drones, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen and Somalia's hardline rebel group Al Shabaab.

President Obama said: ‘Jessica Buchanan was selflessly serving her fellow human beings when she was taken hostage by criminals and pirates who showed no regard for her health and well-being.

‘The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice.’

Seen today: President Obama steps off Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Wednesday

Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command, said the mission was ‘boldly conducted by some of our nation's most courageous, competent, and committed special operations forces’.

Ms Buchanan lived in neighbouring Kenya before Somalia, and worked at a school in Nairobi called the Rosslyn Academy from 2007-09, dean of students Rob Beyer said.

'Leon. Good job tonight. Good job tonight' President Barack Obama

He described the American as quick to laugh and adventurous. 'There have been tears on and around the campus today,' he said. 'She was well-loved by all her students.'

She graduated from Valley Forge Christian College - a small religious college in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The school head said officials are grateful that their prayers have been answered.

Reverend Don Meyer said Ms Buchanan graduated from there in 2006 and 'fell in love with Africa' after doing a student teaching stint in Nairobi. He offered his 'deep gratitude' to those who freed her.

Operation: Navy SEALs stormed a pirate haven in Somalia to rescue two hostages (file picture)

'She fell in love with Africa,' Rev Meyer said. 'She could hardly talk about Africa without tears in her eyes. Her life story is a model of what we prepare our students to do. It's thrilling beyond words.

'She fell in love with Africa. She could hardly talk about Africa without tears in her eyes. Her life story is a model of what we prepare our students to do. It's thrilling beyond words' Reverend Don Meyer, Valley Forge Christian College

'Ever since Jessica was captured, we all as a community have been praying for her safety and for her safe release. The priority is just how grateful we are that she is safe.'

Before Ms Buchanan's family moved from Ohio years ago, she attended the now-closed Ridgeville Christian School, a preschool-through-12th-grade campus in Springboro, north of Cincinnati.

There, she was a student leader involved in activities and sports, including basketball and volleyball, said retired high school teacher Roy Merrill.

'An outstanding student,' the science teacher said. 'She had a lot of drive to get things done.' Elementary school teacher Carol Richards said Ms Buchanan and her family were 'very Christian'.



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SUBMACHINE GUNS, SNIPERS AND MINES: THE EQUIPMENT HELD BY SEALs

Special Forces: Graphic showing the set-up of two of America's elite fighting units; Delta Force and Navy SEAL Navy SEALs are often young enough to withstand the gruelling physical punishment they endure during training and missions - but old enough to have gained crucial battleground experience.

Navy SEAL: They reportedly earn a maximum salary of $54,000 a year and their training is gruelling They reportedly earn a maximum salary of $54,000 a year - roughly the same as a school teacher in the U.S. receives. The famed Team Six is based at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia.

Most are fluent in one or more foreign languages and candidates are also selected for their ability to blend in to any environment. Unsurprisingly, the training is immensely tough.

A dangerous regime prepares the men for actual combat - and the absence of any U.S. fatalities during the 40-minute assault on Osama Bin Laden’s compound last May is testimony to that.

Team Six began in response to botched rescue of U.S. hostages in Iran in the 1980s and its name was used in order to confuse Soviet intelligence regarding the true number of teams.

In reality, only two others existed. In 1987, the unit was dissolved and they officially became known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (or DEVGRU for short).

Despite the name change, the popular moniker 'SEAL Team Six' has stuck, with a host of computer games and films about the highly secretive unit further mythologizing their 'invincible' status.

Members of SEAL Team Six are so effective, that the U.S. government reportedly uses them in 'Red Cell' units to 'test' the defences of their own sensitive military facilities for weakness.

Members of Team Six are known as 'black' operatives - their missions are never spoken about, do not officially exist and often operate outside international laws.

The unit’s personnel reportedly fire an average of 2,500 to 3,000 rounds per week in training - which amounts to more than the entire U.S. Marine Corps per year.