Two freed RI journalists cross into Jordan safely<\/p>\n
Shafika Mattar, Associated Press\/Amman<\/p>\n
Two Indonesian Journalists and their Jordanian driver freed by
\nmilitants in Iraq crossed into neighboring Jordan on Tuesday, an
\nIndonesia Embassy official said.<\/p>\n
\"They have crossed the border into Jordan and they will meet
\nthe press later in the day,\" said the embassy official who
\nrefused to be identified.<\/p>\n
Meutya Hafid, 26, and 36-year-old cameraman Budiyanto, as well
\nas driver Ibrahim Abdel Khader were abducted last week by
\nmilitants outside Ramadi, a volatile city west of Baghdad.<\/p>\n
Meutya, Budiyanto and Abdel Khader had been waiting on the
\nIraqi side of the border with Jordan since late Monday as the
\nborder had been closed for a week from Feb. 17 by the Iraqi
\ngovernment for the Shiite Ashoura holiday.<\/p>\n
\"We are absolutely delighted that all the hard work has
\nbrought a positive outcome, namely the freeing and the evacuation
\nof the Indonesian hostages,\" Indonesian Foreign Ministry
\nspokesman Marty Natalegawa said in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In a live telephone interview with their employer, Indonesian
\ntelevision network Metro TV, Meutya and Budiyanto said they were
\nin good condition and thanked Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono for helping to arrange their release.<\/p>\n
\"Without your help, we may not have been released
\nimmediately,\" Meutya said in comments addressed to Susilo.
\n\"Thanks be to God, these people (captors) are those who struggle
\nfor faith,\" she said. \"We are not their enemy. No one dared to
\ntouch me or Budiyanto. Their leader said if they touched me, they
\nwould be sentenced to death.\"<\/p>\n
Meutya's cameraman, Budiyanto, said they were treated \"very
\nwell\" and that \"there was no intimidation or pressure at all.\"<\/p>\n
\"We were driven blindfolded to a location very far away from
\nany residential area,\" said Budiyanto. \"We stayed in a very small
\nplace in the remote desert where we were closely monitored and
\nobserved.\"<\/p>\n
The three said they were abducted by three men, including one
\nwho had an AK47 assault rifle, while refueling their vehicle.<\/p>\n
Militants in a videotape received on Monday by the Associated
\nPress Television News in Baghdad said the three were released
\nbecause of the \"goodwill\" shown by the captives and religious
\nties.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the goodwill they showed, and respecting the
\nfeelings of brotherhood and Islam between the two countries, and
\nrespecting the Indonesian anti-occupation role, we decided to
\nrelease the two journalists without any conditions and ransom,\"
\nsaid a masked person in the video, reading from a notebook.
\nIndonesia is the world's largest Muslim country.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government was critical of the U.S.-led 2003
\ninvasion of Iraq, and has refused to send troops to the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-freed-ri-journalists-cross-into-jordan-safely-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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