New York Times reporter rescued
There is news this morning that New York Times reporter, Stephen Farrell, a British-Irish citizen has been rescued by British troops. From the New York Times;
Armed gunmen seized Mr. Farrell and his interpreter, Sultan Munadi, four days ago while they were working in a village south of Kunduz.
An Afghan journalist who spoke to villagers in the area said that civilians were also killed in the firefight to free the journalists. That report could not be independently verified, and details of the operation itself were sketchy.
A British commando was killed in the raid, The Associated Press quoted a military official as saying.
Apparently the pair had gone to investigate an incident in which German troops called for a US airstrike on two fuel tankers which resulted in 70 Afghan deaths (AP Link);
Police warned reporters who had traveled to the capital of Kunduz to cover the tanker airstrike that the village in question was controlled by the Taliban and it would be dangerous to go there.
According to the BBC, this isn’t the first time Ferrell has been snatched by terrorists;
In April 2004, while on assignment for the London Times newspaper, he was kidnapped along with a colleague while covering the siege of Falluja, in Iraq. The pair were released the same day.
It’s a cryin’ ass shame that brave soldiers have to lose their lives for careless journalists who can’t heed warnings.
Category: Media, Military issues
I wonder if that reporter will publish a photo of the commando and terp he got killed saving his worthless ass?
I think they should have to sign a waiver stating that if they do stupid shit and don’t heed warnings, they are on their own. I bet this dumbass will do it, again, and get snatched, again, and will have to be rescued, again. Make him pay restitution the next time it happens.
As for the Brit troop and terp; prayers to your families.
My suggestion–next time this clown gets snatched up by the bad guys, the NYT sends over Pinch Sulzberger to bail his wayward idiot reporter out.
“he saw Munadi step forward shouting “Journalist! Journalist!” but he then fell in a volley of bullets. Farrell said he did not know if the shots came from militants or the rescuing forces.”
Is this asshat insinuating that his terp was possibly killed by the commandos?
They should have left him to the taliban…
Funny, I read the introduction as that the British Troops had rescued him from The New York Times.