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CNN Live Today
Journalists Safe
Aired April 02, 2003 - 11:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Four journalists held inside an Iraqi jail in central Baghdad for more than a week are now free, along with a peace activist as well, a group of five dumped in the Jordanian border by the Iraqis.
Rym Brahimi is live from Jordan. Good evening there.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you, Bill.
Well, the three journalists and one peace activist have been in among the Jordanian capital for more than 13 hours now. They spent eight days in a notorious prison on the outskirts of Baghdad. It's known as Abu Grave (ph), and it's not far from Saddam International Airport.
During their time in prison, they were frequently interrogated and at times blindfolded. Freelance photographer Molly Bingham describes her state of mind during the time she was in prison.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOLLY BINGHAM, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: We didn't know what they were going to do with us. And as I said, they often, they took us away individually, blindfolded. I mean, you have no idea where they're taking you or what they're going to do to you.
And so, you know, absolutely every other moment of every day, it's like, you know, are they going to kill me or are they just going to ask me more questions? And are the questions going to be something that I can answer? And how is this going to come out? And I basically started to tell myself that there were parts of this I couldn't control and there were parts of it that I could. And that I just had to focus on the things that I could do to keep myself sort of centered, basically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAHIMI: Now, two of the journalists work for "Newsday," correspondent Matthew Mcallster and a photographer Moises Saman. Matthew said that while they were reporting in Baghdad, they may have pushed the envelope a bit far, in his words, with the Iraqi authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW MCALLESTER, "NEWSDAY" REPORTER: We knew the risks, but we've been -- we've worked in war zones and, you know, dangerous situations before. And it's always a calculation, and you know, I think we're relatively -- I don't know, relatively aggressive reporters, and so sometimes we will take risks. But I have always thought this is a risky job, and sometimes, 99 times out of 100, the risks pay off, and it's called good reporting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAHIMI: Now, they were also asked if they were more afraid of the U.S.-led bombing or of their captors. Matthew said he was afraid of their captors, but at the same time, the bombing was very intense. They could hear anti-aircraft artillery going up in a close area, and the walls of their prison cells shook during the intense bombing raids over Baghdad -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, thanks. Rym Brahimi in Jordan, watching a very good homecoming release for those five today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 2, 2003 - 11:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Four journalists held inside an Iraqi jail in central Baghdad for more than a week are now free, along with a peace activist as well, a group of five dumped in the Jordanian border by the Iraqis.
Rym Brahimi is live from Jordan. Good evening there.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you, Bill.
Well, the three journalists and one peace activist have been in among the Jordanian capital for more than 13 hours now. They spent eight days in a notorious prison on the outskirts of Baghdad. It's known as Abu Grave (ph), and it's not far from Saddam International Airport.
During their time in prison, they were frequently interrogated and at times blindfolded. Freelance photographer Molly Bingham describes her state of mind during the time she was in prison.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOLLY BINGHAM, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: We didn't know what they were going to do with us. And as I said, they often, they took us away individually, blindfolded. I mean, you have no idea where they're taking you or what they're going to do to you.
And so, you know, absolutely every other moment of every day, it's like, you know, are they going to kill me or are they just going to ask me more questions? And are the questions going to be something that I can answer? And how is this going to come out? And I basically started to tell myself that there were parts of this I couldn't control and there were parts of it that I could. And that I just had to focus on the things that I could do to keep myself sort of centered, basically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAHIMI: Now, two of the journalists work for "Newsday," correspondent Matthew Mcallster and a photographer Moises Saman. Matthew said that while they were reporting in Baghdad, they may have pushed the envelope a bit far, in his words, with the Iraqi authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW MCALLESTER, "NEWSDAY" REPORTER: We knew the risks, but we've been -- we've worked in war zones and, you know, dangerous situations before. And it's always a calculation, and you know, I think we're relatively -- I don't know, relatively aggressive reporters, and so sometimes we will take risks. But I have always thought this is a risky job, and sometimes, 99 times out of 100, the risks pay off, and it's called good reporting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAHIMI: Now, they were also asked if they were more afraid of the U.S.-led bombing or of their captors. Matthew said he was afraid of their captors, but at the same time, the bombing was very intense. They could hear anti-aircraft artillery going up in a close area, and the walls of their prison cells shook during the intense bombing raids over Baghdad -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, thanks. Rym Brahimi in Jordan, watching a very good homecoming release for those five today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
