Georges Malbrunot was held for 124 days
One of two French journalists released from captivity in Iraq has said he saw other hostages who were later beheaded.
Georges Malbrunot, giving details of his ordeal in the French media, said he and his colleague Christian Chesnot both feared for their lives at times.
Mr Malbrunot said his captors were driven more by Islamic holy war than Iraqi nationalism.
"One of the lessons we drew from our captivity was that we were immersed in Planet Bin Laden," he said.
When the men were freed earlier this week, their captors said it was because of France's anti-war stance.
But Mr Malbrunot told French television the influence of the al-Qaeda leader was especially strong while they were with "a cell of the Islamic Army in the north".
"We were very aware of the fact that it wasn't the Iraqi agenda that motivated our kidnappers, but the internationalist jihadist agenda.
"I think this is the real challenge for the next 10 years - the clash of cultures that these people are advocating, are seeking."
That country is crawling with armed men who are on the lookout for Westerners
Writing in the French newspaper Le Figaro, he said he had seen hostages who were later killed by their captors.
They included two Macedonians, an Iraqi power station executive and a bodyguard for Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi.
Mr Malbrunot warned other journalists working or thinking of working in Iraq to take care.
"Our kidnappers told us: Don't come back to Iraq, this is a land of war and we do not need you here. We want to settle our scores with the Americans.
"I would say you must be very, very careful because that country is crawling with armed men who are on the lookout for Westerners."
Ransom question
He said that, at times, both he and Mr Chesnot feared they would be killed.
In a separate interview on RTL radio, Mr Malbrunot said it would take time to recover from the ordeal. "But the life of a free man is far easier than that of a hostage," he said.
Mr Chesnot, 37, and Mr Malbrunot, 41, were abducted in August while driving to the city of Najaf with their Syrian driver, Mohammed al-Jundi, who was later found during the US-led assault on Falluja.
The pair arrived at the Villacoublay military airbase near Paris on Wednesday where they were met by family members, President Jacques Chirac, and the French prime minister and defence minister.
French officials have denied that a ransom was paid and many in France are expected to take the view that the men's release vindicates the country's opposition to the war in Iraq.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
wouldn't surprise me if the french gov't paid the terrorists for the release of the hostage. everyone knows the french appease terror rather than fight it.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Yes Mike, the terrorist in from Djibouti 70's to Marseille 90's who all have been kill by GIGN all know that we appease terrorism in France. Even all the ETA and GIA cells that's french police put to jail known this...
The fact we know our limit and don't try "Iran ambassy style" crazy operation is just a tribute to realism something your governement would need a check up on the topic.
There was no way to extract this two guys by force. And a ransom would have made them free earlier. My opinion is the PR policy of the jihadist judge that's was not a good move to behaded this two and prefer to let them go.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
>Yes Mike, the terrorist in from Djibouti 70's to Marseille 90's who all
>have been kill by GIGN all know that we appease terrorism in France.
In Mikes defence, France did appease ME terrorists up until a string of terror attacks in 1986. In return for toleration of their presence, the terrorists agreed to not conduct attacks in France.
Following that, however, France developed a quite impressive anti-terrorism program, though. It was the French who tipped the US off about the planned Millenium attack on the US, and it was the French who tipped them off about Moussaoui, the so-called "20th hijacker".
>And a ransom would have made them free earlier.
Paying a ransom only encourages them to take more hostages. If you bow out once, what is to stop them from taking more hostages and get more ransom money?
Henrik
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Mike wouldn't surprise me if the french gov't paid the terrorists for the release of the hostage. everyone knows the french appease terror rather than fight it.
??????? everyone knows but NOT me I'm affraid. Do I missed something ?
do you have some information you could share with us ?
Because if it is something you got from American or even English media, you must be warned you can quite safely consider it as crap, suspect at least as is everything said about France by those media. Sad but true.
There was a ransom paid in the past, I remember, but that was by the German government to free some Germans that were kidnapped by terrorists in the Sahara desert in March 2003.
But after, the terrorist group had been hunted for more than one year by the Algeria, Niger and Chad army with the help of France, and "finished" by the Chadian army in May 2004.
Hardly something France and France's friend could be ashamed of, me think !
But if you have something consistant to back your claim, go on. Or is it just FUD spreading ? (FUD = Fears, Uncertainties, Doubts)
This message has been edited by ultrarep on Dec 26, 2004 10:25 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Italy for sure gave the money. But for some monkeys, when it's about France, it's a completely different matter.
The point is : These 2 didn't have anything to do with this BS called "war in Iraq". They weren't slaughtering, bombing houses or anything. They were just reporting the facts . They deserved to be freed, and if the money of the ransom must be used against the coalition forces, well it's too bad, but so be it.
"Come the millenium month 12, In the home of the greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be acclaimed the leader" Nostradamus, 1555
"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." George W. Bush
One man saw it coming...
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
'Italy for sure gave the money. But for some monkeys, when it's about France, it's a completely different matter.'
_____________________________________________________________
---monkeys? care to be specific?
_____________________________________________________________
'The point is : These 2 didn't have anything to do with this BS called "war in Iraq". They weren't slaughtering, bombing houses or anything.'
_______________________________________________________________
---who is slaughtering other than terrorists cutting off heads? I'm glad france isn't involved in the war otherwise we might have to spend time bailing them out as we have done before so often.
_____________________________________________________________
'They were just reporting the facts . They deserved to be freed, and if the money of the ransom must be used against the coalition forces, well it's too bad, but so be it.'
____________________________________________________________
--yep typical french attitude. and there is no 'so be it' to it. its an act of war imo. you frogs care only about yourselves and damn the consequences. I want nothing less than a total severance of diplomatic relations with france. they'd suffer greatly and I'd jump for joy. people like you and eryx are typical frogs.
__________________________________________
What are you proud to be american, roflmao, you shouldn't.Fat and stupid isn't something you should be proud of.
Can you live somewhere else around the world apart from fat and retarded USA. I bet you can't
Retarded and fatso are excellent terms that suit you and your people
all quotes from eryx who claims to be french (but lives in australia) on december 22, 2004.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Yes, it doesn't ring a bell to you? We are monkey to you, don't you complain if you are a monkey to us.
---who is slaughtering other than terrorists cutting off heads? I'm glad france isn't involved in the war otherwise we might have to spend time bailing them out as we have done before so often.
Who is slaughtering? Well, I thought Abu Graib and Guantanamo told you who. If you want to talk about WW2 as usual, don't compare youself with your honorable granparents, I think the best comparaison for you is the Waffen SS.
--yep typical french attitude. and there is no 'so be it' to it. its an act of war imo. you frogs care only about yourselves and damn the consequences. I want nothing less than a total severance of diplomatic relations with france. they'd suffer greatly and I'd jump for joy. people like you and eryx are typical frogs.
Why don't you start at your level? Don't talk with us again, don't write a word that we can read, don't take part in any thread where France is involved, in a word, get us rid of yourself. Maybe your country will follow, who knows?
"Come the millenium month 12, In the home of the greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be acclaimed the leader" Nostradamus, 1555
"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." George W. Bush
One man saw it coming...
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Murphy
_____________________________________________________________
'...and if the money of the ransom must be used against the coalition forces, well it's too bad, but so be it.'
____________________________________________________________
--yep typical french attitude. and there is no 'so be it' to it. its an act of war imo. you frogs care only about yourselves and damn the consequences. I want nothing less than a total severance of diplomatic relations with france. they'd suffer greatly and I'd jump for joy. people like you and eryx are typical
Me I'm French, I generally agree with Sach but not here. So who is the most "typical" here: him or me ?
I'm affraid you're getting on French nerves here with your French surrender coward monkey propaganda bullsh!t you repeat like a parrot.
By the way do you find something consistent to back you claim that France use to pay ransom and appease the Wahaby terrorists, "like everyone knows" ?
In fact I think the terrorists thought they couldn't afford to upset France and France's friends anymore so they released the hostage. Simple like that.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Don't get me wrong dude, I'm part of those who believe we didn't give any ransom.
And we didn't change the law either!
"Come the millenium month 12, In the home of the greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be acclaimed the leader" Nostradamus, 1555
"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." George W. Bush
One man saw it coming...
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
'Who is slaughtering? Well, I thought Abu Graib and Guantanamo told you who. If you want to talk about WW2 as usual, don't compare youself with your honorable granparents, I think the best comparaison for you is the Waffen SS.'
____________________________________________________________
---so you are comparing a few beatings to nazi like behavior/genocide? you are truly a pathetic frog and exceedingly moronic. those honorable grandparents are the same ones who saved your coward asses and are the reason you exist today ungrateful frog boy. you are truly an idiot!
'Why don't you start at your level? Don't talk with us again, don't write a word that we can read, don't take part in any thread where France is involved, in a word, get us rid of yourself. Maybe your country will follow, who knows?'
__________________________________________________________
--I post what I want within the rules froggy boy. My Country will not go anywhere. We don't surrender.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
I thought you were all about cutting diplomatic ties? This was just a first step...
I assume if you had been in Abu Graib as a prisonner, this wouldn't be "some beating" to you, little hypocrite.
And this is just what we know. Funny you post that in a thread about our hostages, because the US army prevented several times their liberation, and even tried to bomb them.
It's pretty clear where you are now.
"Come the millenium month 12, In the home of the greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be acclaimed the leader" Nostradamus, 1555
"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." George W. Bush
One man saw it coming...
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
>And this is just what we know. Funny you post that in a thread about our
>hostages, because the US army prevented several times their liberation, and
>even tried to bomb them.
Any basis to this accusation? Not as in "I call bull****", but as in "Oh, really"?
Henrik
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
