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Reporter flies home as human shields flee
Lincolnshire Echo - UK ^ | 3-4-03 | Brendan Montague

Posted on 03/05/2003 9:44:24 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

The ideals of a peace mission fell apart when human shields from Iraq began to suspect their trip was "sponsored" by the Iraqi government.
Lincolnshire Echo reporter Brendan Montague travelled with local peace campaigner Dave Howarth, and explains how the penny dropped - and real fear set in.


Nobody thought that living in Iraq while it was bombarded was going to be easy.

But few of the human shields I met had given real thought to the fact they may not survive the coming weeks.

What they did not count on - and until the very last hours, refused to believe - was that their whole trip may have been planned by the Iraqi government.

When we crossed the border we were handed leaflets warning that we may be taken hostage by the government.

When our coach left Amman for the border last Monday, the human shields in our delegation were just starting to question the reality of entering Iraq. Some decided at the last minute not to go at all.

All the hotel and food bills were being paid for by the Iraqi Government. Our visas were processed in hours when for everyone else it was taking months, if at all.

Former college lecturer Dave Howarth said he had decided of his own free will to sleep at the South Baghdad Power Station because the electricity was essential for the civilian population.

We jumped in a taxi and within 30 minutes we were standing alone on the roof of the power station with the sound of industrial clatter ringing in our ears.

But even then, in private he told me he may move to a different site. He felt the entire area would be carpet bombed by the Americans - regardless of human shields.

Walking around Baghdad the next day was the strangest experience of my life. Here was a city under the very real threat of attack by Allied bombs.

Dave told me that he felt safer in Baghdad than Lincoln. Despite this, I booked myself on the next available flight out of the country.

Then 36 hours later everything changed.

Doubts about the credibility of Dr Abdul Hashimi's Friendship, Peace and Solidarity organisation which had invited the human shields to Baghdad, began to emerge.

Rumours reached their ears that it was actually the Iraqi Government that was behind their trip and not charity peace campaigners who had acted spontaneously.

They went into a blind panic. Nathan - who looked like he had not slept for days - bought a suit and hired a car, ready to make a break for the border.

He said: "I don't trust these people any more. I don't think we are going to be allowed to do what we want. I was here to meet the children and ordinary Iraqis. I don't want to go to a power plant."

Everyone's fears were flooding to the surface. Everyone wanted to get out.

Human shields were now discussing their anxieties openly. They whispered to each other about their methods of escape.

The next morning I arrived at the hotel lobby ready to leave. I found - for the first time - that the doors had been chained shut.

But the receptionist, who had been standing in the shadows, and who I did not recognise, let me out, padlocking doors behind me.

When I reached the airport my heart was pounding. Liberal bribes greased the wheels of my exit.

At every stage police officers, passport control and even a man who appeared to be the head of security called for "Bashish" - cash.

Once in the air I started to feel relief. An hour later I was sitting on a bed in a hotel in Amman. I was safe. I ordered tea and called the airline to book my flight back to Britain. I arrived back in Lincoln this morning.

None of the human shields who told me they wanted to flee Iraq have telephoned me since I left. I have not yet managed to speak to any of them.

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail pastill@nep.co.uk


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: humanshields
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To: Jeff Head
This morning, my local Sonoma County, CA newspaper The Press Democrat ran a front page story complete with photos of two useful idiots who are leaving for Iraq today. Stupidity always finds a replacement.
21 posted on 03/05/2003 10:00:20 AM PST by demnomo
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To: Grampa Dave
Lets round Up Sheen
22 posted on 03/05/2003 10:00:27 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Stamp out Freepathons! Stop being a Freep Loader! Become a monthly donor!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Thanks for my first big laugh of the day. Things ARE looking up!!

Gee, I wonder if the alphabet channels will air this?

hehehe
23 posted on 03/05/2003 10:01:15 AM PST by EggsAckley (nuke the vegan tree-hugging gay whale ACTORS for jesus)
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To: Jeff Head
The thing about useful idiots is that, sooner or later, they become useless idiots to those in whose aid they were enlisted. Then it's a final ration of 'nine grams' in a prison basement. History doesn't lie about that.
24 posted on 03/05/2003 10:01:36 AM PST by Noumenon
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
"Bashish" - cash

The word is "bakshish", a bribe for someone to do his job that he's already being paid to do, however meagerly. You can expect to pay bakshish from Turkey and all points east.

25 posted on 03/05/2003 10:01:38 AM PST by etcetera
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To: VRWCmember
Thats great!
26 posted on 03/05/2003 10:02:28 AM PST by chuknospam
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To: Tennessee_Bob; Ada Coddington
I'm keepin' the faith until Ada clears out.

;-)

27 posted on 03/05/2003 10:02:53 AM PST by dighton
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
www.i'manidiot.com
28 posted on 03/05/2003 10:04:16 AM PST by slimer
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To: VRWCmember
I just spit coffee (Imperialist Starbucks, of course!) all over my keyboard. That's very funny.
29 posted on 03/05/2003 10:04:17 AM PST by demnomo
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Welcome to the new reality show...SURVIVOR, BAGDAD!
30 posted on 03/05/2003 10:05:25 AM PST by Grim
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To: VRWCmember
Too funny!
31 posted on 03/05/2003 10:06:32 AM PST by demnomo
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To: Jeff Head
What a bunch of useful idiot dolts. At least this guy had the instincts to recognize what was going o\on and then the and the integrity admit it and to GET OUT while he could.

You're giving this moron more credit than he deserves, I believe. He just chickened out. No problem, he got what he came for, they probably let him keep the "human shield" t-shirt. When he gets back home, he can wear it when he's lurking around liberal colleges trying to pick up girls.

32 posted on 03/05/2003 10:07:02 AM PST by Kenton
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To: TADSLOS
Personally, I hope they are held hostage. I hope that they are tortured by the Iraqi's in an attempt to negotiate with us. These cretin's are traitors.

IMHO, either the Iraqi's dispose of the garbage, or our carpet bombs will. I'd hate to waste taxpayer money on trials for these half-wits.
33 posted on 03/05/2003 10:07:27 AM PST by Hodar (American's first. .... help the others, after we have helped our own.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
THIS MIGHT MAKE A GREAT NEW REALITY TV SHOW
34 posted on 03/05/2003 10:08:51 AM PST by Mister Baredog ((God Bless GW Bush))
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Freeeeeeeeeakiiiinnngggg duh.

}:-)4
35 posted on 03/05/2003 10:09:14 AM PST by Moose4
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To: Dog; dighton; aculeus; general_re; L,TOWM
"They went into a blind panic. Nathan - who looked like he had not slept for days - bought a suit and hired a car, ready to make a break for the border"

You must be lost in a faraway land;
I searched forever your footprints in the sand.
I feel you need me, I have to answer
That desperate call that I do not understand.
A burning bridge, a lonely highway,
Another dark night thinking alone;
What could've happened? Am I just dreaming?
It doesn't matter but there's one thing that I know...

If I could make it to the border,
If I could make it to the coast,
If I could make it to the border
I'd be in the arms of the girl I love the most.

So, on and on, I keep on running
To make the border before the light;
Just one more river, then I can make it,
Again you'll be in my arms tonight ...

If I could make it to the border,
If I could make it to the coast,
If I could make it to the border,
I'd be in the arms of the girl I love the most.

(America "The Border")

36 posted on 03/05/2003 10:10:09 AM PST by BlueLancer (Der Elite Møøsenspåånkængruppen ØberKømmååndø (EMØØK))
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
And the retired hippies who came out of retirement go back into retirement, once again.
37 posted on 03/05/2003 10:10:14 AM PST by gulfcoast6
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Thank God none of these cowards are in the military. Imagine relying one one of these ..amoeba..to protect your flank? It's even more disgusting that our fawning lamestream media isn't reporting this with the fanfare they used at the initial announcement of these pukes going into Iraq. These are despicable rejects of humanity.
38 posted on 03/05/2003 10:10:53 AM PST by caisson71
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To: Mister Baredog
I'M A HUMAN SHIELD. GET ME OUT OF HERE.

Meanwhile, the Japanese human shields are hunkering down. LOL!

39 posted on 03/05/2003 10:11:09 AM PST by EggsAckley (nuke the vegan tree-hugging gay whale ACTORS for jesus)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Hmm. Slap a toothbrush mustache on ol' Marty there and give him a brown shirt and he'd be in a very Hitleresque pose, wouldn't he?

Adolf gave a lot of "peace" speeches too. Several times between 1933 and 1940, in fact.

}:-)4
40 posted on 03/05/2003 10:11:20 AM PST by Moose4
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