|
French Journalist Describes Mistreatment by U.S. Forces During Siege of Fallujah
French TV journalist Grégoire Deniau describes his ordeal in U.S. custody in Iraq. He was detained for a day during the siege of Fallujah in April 2004. He says despite showing his passport and French press ID, U.S. soldiers forced him to kneel for hours, gaffer-taped a hood over his face and hurled insults at him, calling him a dog and accused him, as a Frenchmen, of being pro-Arab. Deniau says he was released late at night, in the middle of the desert and was warned by the soldiers that US forces shoot everything that moves.
Broadcast - 06/08/05
It has been more than 2 years since the Bush administration
began the invasion and occupation of Iraq. These have been some
of the bloodiest years for journalists worldwide and in Iraq in
particular. And the situation remains very dangerous for media
workers operating in the country, particularly those few who
dare to report from Iraq unembedded from the occupation forces.
Today, two French journalists speak about their time in
captivity in Iraq. I met them this weekend in Riccione, Italy
where I was attending the annual conference remembering Ilaria
Alpi--a young Italian woman journalist who was killed in 1994
covering Somalia. One of the French journalists I met, Christian
Chesnot, was kidnapped for four months by the Iraqi resistance.
We'll hear his story in a moment.
But first, we turn to one of France's most experienced war
correspondents, Grégoire Deniau, of France 2. He too was
detained - for a day - by the US military. His ordeal in US
custody begins in April 2004 in the besieged city of Fallujah.
US forces picked Grégoire Deniau up in Fallujah where he and a
photographer colleague were documenting the story of the siege
of the city from the inside. At the time, he was the only
Western journalist there. Deniau says he and the photographer
were taken by US soldiers along with two Red Crescent workers.
He says that US soldiers forced them to kneel for hours,
gaffer-taped hoods over their faces. Deniau says he showed the
soldiers his passport, his ID and his French Press
Identification. He says the soldiers hurled insults at him,
called him a dog and accused him, as a Frenchmen, of being
pro-Arab. When the US forces finally released them, they did so
late at night, in the middle of the desert and warned them that
US forces shoot everything that moves. This is French TV
journalist Grégoire Deniau.
- Grégoire Deniau, French journalist with France 2.
To purchase an audio or video copy of this entire program, click
here for online ordering or call 1 (800) 881-2359.
(In accordance with Title 17
U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit
to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes.
Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with
the originator of this article nor is Information Clearing House
endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) |
