Romanians Freed in Iraq After Two Months

BUCHAREST, Romania - Three Romanian journalists and their Iraqi-American guide were freed Sunday after nearly two months in captivity in Iraq, the president's office said.

All four were in the custody of Romanian authorities, officials said, ending a kidnapping that had sparked rallies and prayer vigils in Romania, which has 800 troops in Iraq.

"They are unharmed and we will announce to the public when they will return to the country," said Adriana Saftoiu, a spokeswoman for Romanian President Traian Basescu.

The three Romanians - newspaper reporter Ovidiu Ohanesian, TV reporter Marie-Jeanne Ion and cameraman Sorin Miscoci - were kidnapped in Iraq on March 28, along with their Iraqi-American guide and translator, Mohammed Monaf.

Their kidnappers had threatened to kill the hostages unless Romania pulled its troops out of Iraq. Basescu refused, saying Romania would not negotiate its foreign policy with the kidnappers or pay a ransom.

A video aired on Al-Jazeera TV had shown the journalists in handcuffs with pistols pointed at their heads. Ion, a reporter for Prima TV, could be seen talking to the camera and clutching her hands as if pleading. In a separate audio message, they asked Romania's government to save their lives.

Miscoci, of Prima TV, said he would be the first killed if the Romanian troops were not withdrawn. Al-Jazeera reported that Monaf, who is married to a Romanian, appealed to President Bush to intervene.

In recent weeks, Romanian authorities said they were in contact with the kidnappers, and called on them not to kill the hostages.

The Romanian Islamic and Cultural League sent five representatives Saturday to Baghdad, and Islamic groups in Iraq also urged the captors to free the four.

"It's over. The nightmare has ended. We are waiting for them to come home now," said Petre Mihai Bacanu, managing director of the newspaper that employs Ohanesian, Romania Libera.

Ion's father, Vasile Ion, said Basescu informed him about his daughter's release. Vasile Ion, a senator with the opposition Social Democratic Party, had urged Parliament to take a stand on the captors' demands.

"I feel like a piece of me that was missing has now been restored," he told radio Europa FM. "I never lost hope."

More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq since Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in April 2003. Some kidnappers have sought ransom, while others pursued political motives such as the withdrawal of foreign companies and troops from Iraq. More than 30 hostages have been killed.

Right on Romania! I will take Romania's friendship over that of France and day. Nice to know who your friends are and that they stand with you

2 posted on 05/22/2005 2:29:38 PM PDT by commonasdirt (Reading DU so you don't hafta)

I highly recommend sending thank you e-mails to Romania's UN mission. They DON'T cut & run

3 posted on 05/22/2005 2:38:48 PM PDT by commonasdirt (Reading DU so you don't hafta)

Relates to this followup piece:

U.S. Citizen Facing Execution in Iraq

And

Click here for this earlier piece with background information:

Prosecutors say journalists' kidnapping in Iraq was coordinated from Romania

4 posted on 10/17/2006 1:51:09 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude Adjustments Offered Here Free of Charge)

5 posted on 10/17/2006 3:20:58 PM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business] (...but his head is so tiny...))

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