U.S. Frees Iraqi Workers for Reuters, NBC

[pinto]

Monday January 5, 2004 9:46 PM

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The U.S. military on Monday released three Iraqi employees of the Reuters news agency and an Iraqi cameraman working for NBC who were detained last week, a military official said.

The Reuters and NBC employees were detained Friday near Fallujah, west of Baghdad, after insurgents shot down an OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter, killing one U.S. soldier and wounding another.

"All are released,'' said a senior official of the U.S.-led coalition governing Iraq. He spoke on condition of anonymity.

Shortly after the helicopter was shot down, the U.S. military said assailants posing as journalists fired upon U.S. soldiers who were guarding the burning aircraft, and that it had detained four suspects.

(more)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3589855,00.html

military waffles on arrests, but reporters finally released

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. "He spoke on condition of anonymity. "

Christ, are things so bad that even a report such as this has to be anonymous?

At least they had the stones to release them instead of "disappearing" them...

Which could have happened if not for Reuters and the witnesses speaking to the ME press.

[pinto]

2. the value of an Un-embedded press...n/t

[teryang]

3. This story has been suspect from the getgo

They shot on these journalists for two reasons. One, to deny tactical info to enemy. Two, censorship. The general's story about guerillas posing as journalists was a cover story.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. Wow... I had never considered your first point....

Frightening enough to hope that it ain't so.