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13/08/2004
Kidnapped British journalist is released
A British freelance journalist who was kidnapped in southern Iraq last night has been released, it has emerged today.
James Brandon, a 23-year-old freelancer with the Sunday Telegraph, was taken from his Basrah hotel room at gunpoint last night. Around 30 militants forced their way into his hotel at around 11pm local time (7pm GMT). A short time later video footage of the captured journalist was posted on the internet.
However, Mr Brandon was taken to the Basra office of the cleric Moqtada Al Sadr this afternoon and released.
At a press conference, Mr Brandon said he was initially roughly treated by his captors, but when they realised he was journalist their mood softened. He went on to thank ihs kidnappers for treating him well.
According to witnesses at the hotel, Mr Brandon was injured during his capture and in the video footage he is shown half-naked with bandaging covering a head wound.
The militants had threatened to kill the journalist if the US did not withdraw from Najaf, the scene of heavy fighting in recent days.
(gmcg)
James Brandon, a 23-year-old freelancer with the Sunday Telegraph, was taken from his Basrah hotel room at gunpoint last night. Around 30 militants forced their way into his hotel at around 11pm local time (7pm GMT). A short time later video footage of the captured journalist was posted on the internet.
However, Mr Brandon was taken to the Basra office of the cleric Moqtada Al Sadr this afternoon and released.
At a press conference, Mr Brandon said he was initially roughly treated by his captors, but when they realised he was journalist their mood softened. He went on to thank ihs kidnappers for treating him well.
According to witnesses at the hotel, Mr Brandon was injured during his capture and in the video footage he is shown half-naked with bandaging covering a head wound.
The militants had threatened to kill the journalist if the US did not withdraw from Najaf, the scene of heavy fighting in recent days.
(gmcg)
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