This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/18/nbc-syria-journalist-kidnapping-escape
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| NBC's Richard Engel tells of Syrian kidnapping escape | NBC's Richard Engel tells of Syrian kidnapping escape |
| (8 days later) | |
| When the threats of execution began for the team of NBC journalists kidnapped by a group in Syria loyal to President Assad, they were underlined by a terrible reality. | When the threats of execution began for the team of NBC journalists kidnapped by a group in Syria loyal to President Assad, they were underlined by a terrible reality. |
| For even as Richard Engel and his colleagues working for the US television network were taken into captivity five days ago, blindfold and bound, it was in the knowledge that one of their rebel guides had already been shot and killed. | For even as Richard Engel and his colleagues working for the US television network were taken into captivity five days ago, blindfold and bound, it was in the knowledge that one of their rebel guides had already been shot and killed. |
| Their ordeal came to an end at 11pm on Monday in a dramatic gun battle when a group of opposition fighters discovered and freed Engel and four other members of his team – including producer Ghazi Balkiz, cameraman John Kooistra and an unnamed engineer – who were being moved by car. | Their ordeal came to an end at 11pm on Monday in a dramatic gun battle when a group of opposition fighters discovered and freed Engel and four other members of his team – including producer Ghazi Balkiz, cameraman John Kooistra and an unnamed engineer – who were being moved by car. |
| "As we were moving along the road, the kidnappers came across a rebel checkpoint, something they hadn't expected. We were in the back of what you would think of as a minivan," an unshaven Engel told NBC's Today programme. | "As we were moving along the road, the kidnappers came across a rebel checkpoint, something they hadn't expected. We were in the back of what you would think of as a minivan," an unshaven Engel told NBC's Today programme. |
| "The kidnappers saw this checkpoint and started a gunfight with it. | "The kidnappers saw this checkpoint and started a gunfight with it. |
| "Two of the kidnappers were killed. We climbed out of the vehicle and the rebels took us. We spent the night with them." | "Two of the kidnappers were killed. We climbed out of the vehicle and the rebels took us. We spent the night with them." |
| "It was a very traumatic experience," Engel said. He said he believed the kidnappers were a Shia militia group loyal to the Syrian government, adding that they executed at least one of his rebel escorts on the spot at the time he was captured. | "It was a very traumatic experience," Engel said. He said he believed the kidnappers were a Shia militia group loyal to the Syrian government, adding that they executed at least one of his rebel escorts on the spot at the time he was captured. |
| "They kept us blindfolded, bound," said the 39-year-old reporter, who is one of the most high-profile television foreign correspondents in the US. | "They kept us blindfolded, bound," said the 39-year-old reporter, who is one of the most high-profile television foreign correspondents in the US. |
| "We weren't physically beaten or tortured. A lot of psychological torture, threats of being killed. They made us choose which one of us would be shot first and when we refused, there were mock shootings," he added. | "We weren't physically beaten or tortured. A lot of psychological torture, threats of being killed. They made us choose which one of us would be shot first and when we refused, there were mock shootings," he added. |
| "They were talking openly about their loyalty to the government," said Engel. | "They were talking openly about their loyalty to the government," said Engel. |
| "This was … the Shabiha. This is a government militia. These are people who are loyal to President Bashar Assad." | "This was … the Shabiha. This is a government militia. These are people who are loyal to President Bashar Assad." |
| USA Today camerman Kooistra said he had "made good with my maker" and had been "prepared to die many times" during the ordeal. | USA Today camerman Kooistra said he had "made good with my maker" and had been "prepared to die many times" during the ordeal. |
| Engel said he was told the kidnappers wanted to exchange him and his crew for four Iranian and two Lebanese prisoners being held by the rebels. | Engel said he was told the kidnappers wanted to exchange him and his crew for four Iranian and two Lebanese prisoners being held by the rebels. |
| An unidentified Syrian group on Tuesday released a video showing Engel, three others members of the NBC production team and a journalist working for CNN and ABC. The video urged the US government to secure the men's release and "cease its activites in Syria." | An unidentified Syrian group on Tuesday released a video showing Engel, three others members of the NBC production team and a journalist working for CNN and ABC. The video urged the US government to secure the men's release and "cease its activites in Syria." |
| Engel said the captors were trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and allied with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militant group. | Engel said the captors were trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and allied with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militant group. |
| Both Iran and Hezbollah are close allies of the embattled Syrian regime. | Both Iran and Hezbollah are close allies of the embattled Syrian regime. |
| Engel's team crossed back into neighbouring Turkey on Tuesday. | Engel's team crossed back into neighbouring Turkey on Tuesday. |
| The network said there was no claim of responsibility, no contact with the captors and no request for ransom during the time the crew was missing. | The network said there was no claim of responsibility, no contact with the captors and no request for ransom during the time the crew was missing. |
| The Syrian government has barred most foreign media coverage of the civil war, which has killed more than 40,000 people since the uprising began in March 2011. Those journalists whom the regime has allowed in are tightly controlled in their movements by information ministry minders. Many foreign journalists sneak into Syria illegally with the help of smugglers. | The Syrian government has barred most foreign media coverage of the civil war, which has killed more than 40,000 people since the uprising began in March 2011. Those journalists whom the regime has allowed in are tightly controlled in their movements by information ministry minders. Many foreign journalists sneak into Syria illegally with the help of smugglers. |
| Several journalists have been killed covering the conflict. Among them are award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, photographer Rémi Ochlik and Britain's Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin. | Several journalists have been killed covering the conflict. Among them are award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, photographer Rémi Ochlik and Britain's Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin. |
| Anthony Shadid, a correspondent for the New York Times, died after an apparent asthma attack while on assignment in Syria. | Anthony Shadid, a correspondent for the New York Times, died after an apparent asthma attack while on assignment in Syria. |
| Engel joined NBC in 2003 and was named chief foreign correspondent in April 2008. He previously worked as a freelance journalist for ABC News, including during the US invasion of Iraq. He has lived in the Middle East since he graduated from Stanford University in 1996, according to his biography from NBC. He speaks fluent Arabic. | Engel joined NBC in 2003 and was named chief foreign correspondent in April 2008. He previously worked as a freelance journalist for ABC News, including during the US invasion of Iraq. He has lived in the Middle East since he graduated from Stanford University in 1996, according to his biography from NBC. He speaks fluent Arabic. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |