Berg's son Nick, a telecommunications contractor, was detained in Iraq for 13 days in March 2004 by U.S. military and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After his release and after refusals to return to the States with help from U.S. government, and in the aftermath of the Abu Ghraib revelations , Nick was abducted and murdered by Islamic militants on May 7, 2004. A video of his decapitation was posted on the internet, leading to international media coverage of Michael Berg, his family, and his antiwar stance.