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Frenchies doing fine in captivity
New footage has emerged of two French reporters taken hostage in Iraq showing both men apparently well and in good spirits, the Sunday Times reported. Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, who marked their 100th day in captivity on Saturday, appear on a CD-Rom obtained by the paper, which said the recording was believed to have been made earlier this month. The two are the longest-held Western hostages in Iraq. Chesnot, 37, reportedly says he and Malbrunot are "here because there are security issues and investigations regarding our identities as we are journalists and the Islamic Army is doing the investigations." Speaking in Lebanese Arabic, he says they are being treated well by their captors, "although their hospitality is not like a five-star hotel." "The behaviour of the Islamic Army has been very good. There is no violence involved. We eat three times a day and we get lots of tea and everything is available," he adds. Malbrunot, 41, also speaks on the film in French, telling his family he is well and the conditions are good, the paper said. It quoted Chesnot's brother, Thierry, as saying: "This is very good news indeed." Chesnot, a freelancer who works for Radio France Internationale, and Malbrunot, a freelancer for Le Figaro newspaper, were abducted along with their Syrian driver Mohammed al-Jundi while on their way to Najaf south of Baghdad. US troops found al-Jundi two weeks ago in Fallujah, when they attacked the rebel stronghold, and he subsequently said he had been separated from the two Frenchmen in September.
Posted by: Fred 2004-11-29 |
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