The Hindu : International : Ransom behind journalists' release?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 24, 2004

International

International

Ransom behind journalists' release?

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS, DEC. 23. Following national jubilation and a top level heroes' welcome for two French journalists freed after four months' captivity in Iraq, it is now time for questions. As the journalists, Christian Chesnot of Radio France Internationale and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper were being debriefed by intelligence services in Paris on Thursday, the French press raised several questions on the how and why of their sudden release.

Although the French Government has categorically denied it, most newspapers here speculate that ransom money was paid to the captors. There is also a growing public controversy over a botched attempt to secure the release of the two journalists in September by an MP from President Chirac's ruling UMP Party. The MP, Didier Julia, made a highly mediatised trip to the region in September claiming he was going to return with the hostages. However, instead of obtaining the release of the two men, it is alleged Mr. Julia's private initiative could have seriously jeopardised their chances of survival. On Wednesday the two journalists poured scorn over their self-styled "liberator" saying his conduct has seriously endangered their lives and that his "behaviour was beneath contempt."

Amid mounting calls for Mr. Julia to be suspended from the UMP, the French Foreign Minister, Michel Barnier, said the deputy would "have to answer certain questions ... Some people did not exactly display the civic spirit." But Mr. Julia reacted furiously, accusing Mr. Barnier of being "completely useless" and claiming to have documents that showed his mission was undertaken in good faith.

Meanwhile the circumstances leading to the men's liberation remained obscure, with Government Ministers continuing to maintain that no ransom had been paid to the hostage-takers or any other condition met.

The captors, allegedly belonging to the Islamic Army of Iraq initially asked for France's controversial law on the wearing of religions symbols in public schools withdrawn. But the public and the Muslim community as a whole showed great solidarity. Among the leaders who called for the journalists' release were the mufti of Syria, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Palestinian radical groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas.

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