May 25, 2005
American and Romanian Journalists Released in Iraq
I received word of American Mohamed Monaf's release from Romanian reader Adi a few days ago. It's just hitting the Western press today, though. Three Romanian journalists were also released. As Adi reminded me in his e-mail, though, there are many questions that remain unanswered about this hostage crisis. Most important of these questions is that Monaf did not return to Romania where it seems he is now wanted in connection for unrelated crimes committed with Omar Hayssam. Omar Hayssam is also the man who is said to be responsible for freeing the hostages. Very odd and sordid tale indeed.
IFEX:
Terrorist Threaten to Murder 3 Romanian and an American Hostage in new Video
Questions Raised Over Romanian Hostage Crisis
American Hostage in Iraq
3 Romanians and One American Shown on Hostage Video
American Kidnapped in Iraq (UPDATED)
Romanian Journalists Taken Hostage in Iraq, Plea for Help (UPDATED)
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More than two months after being abducted by insurgents in Iraq, Romanian journalists Marie Jeanne Ion, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci and Ovidiu Ohanesian, and their Iraqi-American translator Mohamed Munaf, are free again, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF). On 22 May 2005, they were released from captivity and sent home to Romania the next day.
RELATED ENTRIES:
The four individuals had been abducted on 28 March in Baghdad by a group calling itself the Muadh ibn Jabal Brigade. The captors had threatened to kill the journalists if Romania did not withdraw its 800 troops from Iraq, a demand the Romanian government rejected.Romanian President Traian Basescu said that his country?s intelligence agents negotiated the release of the journalists and that no ransom was paid. Ion, a reporter, and Miscoci, a cameraman, work for Prima TV. Ohanesian is a reporter for the daily newspaper "Romania Libera".
Terrorist Threaten to Murder 3 Romanian and an American Hostage in new Video
Questions Raised Over Romanian Hostage Crisis
American Hostage in Iraq
3 Romanians and One American Shown on Hostage Video
American Kidnapped in Iraq (UPDATED)
Romanian Journalists Taken Hostage in Iraq, Plea for Help (UPDATED)
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1
Oh no, not Romanians again.
Posted by: A Finn at May 25, 2005 04:32 PM (lGolT)
2
Oh freeed... Scuzaţi!
Posted by: A Finn at May 25, 2005 04:39 PM (lGolT)
3
Speaking of hostage releases - breaking news in Italy (Adnkronos, Corriere della Sera) - ballistic tests made by Italian experts on the Toyota Corolla in which the SISMI agent Nicola Calipari was killed, and the journalist Giuliana Sgrena was wounded, show that two different caliber bullets were fired into the vehicle. This finding contradicts the American report which named only one soldier as firing upon the car. More information will be in tomorrow's edition of Il Manifesto, available at www.ilmanifesto.it.
The ballistic tests began two weeks ago at Practica di Mare, where the Toyota was placed by the military after it was transported from Baghdad via C-130. The team of experts also includes members representing the Calipari family and Giuliana Sgrena.
Posted by: Anna at May 25, 2005 05:18 PM (pB2IF)
4
Il Manifesto....a 'reliable' source then........
Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at May 26, 2005 11:51 AM (JQjhA)
5
Cara Anna,
Mi dispiace, ma io penso che questo causa non e viva ancora qui in America. Io sono simpatico pero. Buon fortuna, e scriva ancora se che nuova imformatzione.
Gregorio
Posted by: greg at May 26, 2005 01:25 PM (/+dAV)
6
Yes, Il Manifesto is a very, very reliable source when receiving leaks from ballistic experts from the military and intelligence services.
And other Italian media readily publish and broadcast their "scoops".
Il Manifesto does have a lock on the leaks since they are unwaivering in their support for Calipari, and the role SISMI played in the freeing of their journalist. While centrist papers such as Corriere della Sera, and La Repubblica have consistently published the name of the surviving SISMI agent (after the redacted American report was made whole), Il Manifesto has not.
As you may know, the editor of Manifesto was present at the intelligence briefings to the government officials during the time Giuliana Sgrena was held hostage.
Front page of Il Manifesto
Articles become available for non-subscribers around 3:00 pm PDT.
http://www.ilmanifesto.it/oggi/art41.html
Two soldiers shot at Calipari and Sgrena. A bullet fragment found by ballistic experts in the Toyota, doesn't match the [caliber of the] bullet that killed the SISMI official. It does not come from the machine gun of the soldier Lozano. At least one other soldier fired, the US report contains only lies [as it maintains that only Lozano fired upon the vehicle].
Posted by: Anna at May 26, 2005 01:34 PM (pB2IF)
7
Greg,
Tante grazie per i tuoi commenti gentili. Pero', io ne penso diversamente. Il caso Calipari sara' importante in America quando il governo italiano, cedendo all'opinione pubblica, faccia ritirare le truppe italiane dall'Iraq. Spero che sia il piu' presto possibile.
This initial finding that at least two weapons were fired demonstrates a deliberate cover-up by the Pentagon. Plus, there is the remaining question of why the US did not pass on the information that the Toyota was en route to Baghdad airport.
Corriere della Sera announced one hour ago that the ballistic examinations will be completed by June 9. They have now finished about 30% of the testing.
Posted by: Anna at May 26, 2005 02:00 PM (pB2IF)
8
Anna,
Sorry but my Italian sucks. I was faking it! I'm trying to learn.
I think you're saying that the final report will be important because it will provide the catalyst for the withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq.
Isn't it already a certainty that the Italians will withdraw in September?
I'm going to Italy for three weeks in July. I can't wait to be around people who are against this war. I live in Texas and the warmongers are in charge here. It's awful.
Posted by: greg at May 26, 2005 02:22 PM (/+dAV)
9
Greg,
Berlusconi said he would begin a withdrawal in September, and then immediately retracted his statement - after telephone calls from Bush and Blair. Lately Fini has been talking about a withdrawal in February 2006. Now he's backtracking. Talk is cheap, and no one from the ruling coalition has introduced a motion for withdrawal in Parliament.
Right now Italy is in the midst of another hostage crisis - Clementina Cantoni, working with CARE in Afghanistan on behalf of Afghani widows, was kidnaped in Kabul on May 16. There are tensions between the Afghan government and the Italians, with Italian intelligence accusing the Afghan government of errors in running the investigation.
There doesn't seem to be the popular support for Clementina that there was for Simona Pari and Simona Torretti, and for Giuliana Sgrena. On Monday, there was finally a candlelight vigil in Rome, with hundreds, instead of the usual thousands, attending. Another show of support was held in Milan, Clementina's home town, again with a relatively small showing.
I've read several remarks in newspapers that, lacking Nicola Calipari, and his extensive network of contacts, the negotiations are going much more slowly.
Posted by: Anna at May 26, 2005 02:44 PM (pB2IF)
10
Anna,
I see. Well, let's hope Italy withdraws soon and that Clementina Cantoni comes home safely!
Posted by: greg at May 26, 2005 02:48 PM (/+dAV)
11
“Where, in the week after the Great Newsweek Error, is the comparable outrage in the press, in the blogosphere, and at the White House over the military's outright lying in the coverup of the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman? Where are the calls for apologies to the public and the firing of those responsible? Who is demanding that the Pentagon's word should never be trusted unless backed up by numerous named and credible sources?
Where is a Scott McClellan lecture on ethics and credibility?
"Tillman's mother and father said in interviews that they believe the military and the government created a heroic tale about how their son died to foster a patriotic response across the country," White reported.”
http://www.mediaINTO.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000930844
REPLACE INTO WITH INFO
Posted by: greg at May 26, 2005 04:12 PM (/+dAV)
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