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British journalist rescued in Basra
BAGHDAD - Iraqi troops rescued a British journalist for CBS News in the southern city of Basra on Monday two months after he was kidnapped, the Iraqi military said. Richard Butler was in good condition when he was found with a sack over his head and his hands tied inside a house, Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji said. The discovery came during an Iraqi military sweep in the Jibiliya area, a Shiite militia stronghold in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad.Defense ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said that an army patrol conducting a search came under fire from the house where Butler was being held. One of the gunmen was wounded in an exchange of fire and another captured while two men escaped, he said. Butler was later shown on Iraqi state television laughing and greeting his rescuers."Thank you and I'm looking forward to seeing my family and my friends at CBS and thank you again," Butler told al-Askari. He described the soldiers' performance as "brilliant." "The Iraqi army stormed the house and overcame my guards and they burst through the door," Butler said. "I had my hood on, which I had to have on all the time, and they shouted something at me, and I pulled my hood off." In London, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband welcomed Butler's release and said he was "very grateful to (Iraqi) security forces for the professionalism of the task they have undertaken." He said Butler was in the care of the British consulate in Basra. In New York, CBS News spokeswoman Sandy Genelius said the network was "incredibly grateful that our colleague ... has been released and is safe." Butler was kidnapped along with his Iraqi interpreter on Feb. 10 in Basra. The interpreter was later released. Iraqi police and witnesses said the two men were seized by about eight masked gunmen wielding machine guns who stormed a hotel in the city. Posted by: tu3031 2008-04-14 |
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