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American Morning

Iranian Hostage, Attorney Discuss Reparations

Aired February 15, 2002 - 08:20   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: All right Anderson, the hostage drama of a different kind now. More than two decades ago, Americans were held captive in Iran for 444 days. It was in 1979 that Rocky Sickmann was a Marine guard at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Islamic extremists stormed the compound, captured him and 50 other -- 51 other Americans and held them hostage for more than a year.

Now more than 20 years later Sickmann is rethinking his role in history and what might be different today had he acted differently that day those 20 plus years ago. Rocky Sickmann joins us now from St. Louis. From Washington, D.C. attorney Bill Coffield who is representing Sickmann and the other hostages in their attempts to recover damages from Iran. Gentlemen, welcome to both of you.

Rocky, you claim that the day you were guarding the embassy and the extremists stormed the compound, you were told not to fire your weapons and simply to cooperate. We know what happened. It was 444 days before you were released, but you claim the world today might be a different place had you either fought back or even perhaps been killed that day. What do you mean?

ROCKY SICKMANN, FORMER HOSTAGE: Jack, I truly believe that now looking back and of course looking at the 444 days while we were held hostage, I had wished that we would have fired. Possibly some individuals, myself would have died, but we would not have been detained for 444 days. Plus ...

CAFFERTY: But how would the world today be a different place? In other words, tie this to the war on terrorism that we're fighting now and the people we're fighting it against.

SICKMANN: Sure Jack. After the 444 days, you could see the escalation of terrorism occur throughout the world and again, I truly believe that back then had we shown that we would not stand for terrorism and fought to the end, we possibly would not have what we're seeing to this day.

CAFFERTY: What are your thoughts on the events since September 11 and the way the United States is responding now versus the way we responded then?

SICKMANN: Well obviously the Bush administration is doing a very good job right now, although being held hostage and having a chance now for Iran to basically pay for what they did to 52 of us, being put against a wall, a mock firing squad, and not being allowed to go outside for seven times out of 444 days, being tied for 30 days, not allowed to speak, for everything that they've done, Jack, as Iranians, we as the United States must find the culprits of terrorism, and we must make sure that they pay so that this never happens again.

CAFFERTY: I think I probably know the answer to this, but I would guess you have no problem with President Bush referring to Iran as part of an "axis of evil" based on your experience in that country, do you?

SICKMANN: Absolutely, and you know, Jack, it's really interesting. They are the axis of evil. They have been for 20 years and ...

CAFFERTY: Right.

SICKMANN: ... even when we were held hostage, you used to hear young children chant akhbar America. This was young children possibly the age of 10 years old, outside of our prison window and you wondered 10 years old, 20 years go, they're 30 years old now. These individuals have been trained and taught over the years to hate America.

CAFFERTY: All right, let me switch to Mr. Coffield. You as a legal representative of Mr. Sickmann and the other hostages are attempting to sue Iran for damages. You claim that you have that right under the Terrorism Act, was it 1996 ...

BILL COFFIELD, ATTORNEY: That's correct sir.

CAFFERTY: There seemed to be basically two issues -- one, as a practical manner, can you sue Iran, and even if you win are you going to collect anything? But two, you claim the Bush administration is standing in the way of your attempt to do this. Tell me a little about what you're doing.

COFFIELD: Well we brought suit under the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act. On the eve of trial, the State Department came in and opposed the hostage's case. We have been in court. We've had briefings schedules. They have tried to say that the Algeria Accords bars the hostages from bringing suit. The Congress has made clear that that's not the case now twice.

CAFFERTY: Let me ask you this. Wasn't there -- wasn't part of the original agreement that provided for the release of the American hostages after those 444 days, wasn't it part of the original deal that there'd be no lawsuits?

COFFIELD: Well I -- that is correct. That was one small provision, a very end provision -- no lawsuit by the hostages. Commercial companies and banks can bring suits in the U.S.-Iran claims tribunal, but the hostages have no recourse. And of course that's unconstitutional under our constitution. It's against the International Convention on hostage taking and it raises a point that you brought up. Why is that event linked to the kind of terrorism that's occurred over the last 20 years? Well we were soft on terrorism then. We paid a ransom, and we didn't make them account for it, and ...

CAFFERTY: Obviously ...

COFFIELD: ... that's why we this waive.

CAFFERTY: ... this will have a future in the courts as you pursue your case, and we will keep following the story and report on it again as you go along. Gentlemen, thank you very much. Rocky Sickmann, one of the hostages held in Iran more than 20 years ago, and Bill Coffield, the attorney represented Mr. Sickmann and the other hostages as they attempt to recover damages. Good luck to both of you. Thanks for being with us.

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