Freed journalists stuck at Iraqi border

Freed journalists stuck at Iraqi border

Agencies
Amman

Two Indonesian journalists and a Jordanian driver freed by
militants in Iraq were stuck at the Iraq-Jordan border on
Tuesday, waiting for permission from Iraqi authorities to leave
the country.

Meutya Hafid, 26, and 36-year-old cameraman Budiyanto, as well
as their Jordanian driver, Ibrahim Abdel Khader, were abducted
last week by militants outside Ramadi, west of Baghdad.

Militants in a videotape received on Monday said the three
were released because of the "goodwill" shown by the captives and
religious ties.

"The Indonesian government is trying to contact the Iraqi
government to get permission for us to cross the border. But we
are still waiting and the situation is not clear for us yet,"
Meutya told AP in Amman by telephone.

The border was closed for a week from Feb. 17 by the Iraqi
government for security reasons during the Shiite Muslim mourning
period of Ashura.

"We won't return to Baghdad, but we might wait at the border
until we get the approval to cross into Jordan," Khader said.

"We were hoping that we would be able to cross over into
Jordan today (Tuesday) but the Iraqis said the border will remain
closed until midnight," he was quoted by AFP as saying after
speaking on the phone with his brother, Ibrahim.

In a live telephone interview with their employer, Indonesian
television network Metro TV, Meutya and Budiyanto said they were
in good condition and thanked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
for helping to arrange their release.

"Without your help, we may not have been released
immediately," Meutya said in comments addressed to Susilo.
"Thanks be to God, these people (captors) are those who struggle
for faith," said Meutya.

"We are not their enemy. No one dared to touch me or
Budiyanto. Their leader said if they touched me, they would be
sentenced to death."

Meutya's cameraman, Budiyanto, said they were treated "very
well" and that "there was no intimidation or pressure at all."
"We were driven blindfolded to a location very far away from any
residential area," said Budiyanto. "We stayed in a very small
place in the remote desert where we were closely monitored and
observed."

The three said they were abducted by three men, including one
who had an AK47 assault rifle, while refueling their vehicle.
A video delivered anonymously to Associated Press Television News
in Baghdad apparently showed a militant releasing the
journalists.

A masked person in the video, reading from a notebook, said,
"Based on the goodwill they showed, and respecting the feelings
of brotherhood and Islam between the two countries, and
respecting the Indonesian anti-occupation role, we decided to
release the two journalists without any conditions and ransom."

The Indonesian government was critical of the U.S.-led 2003
invasion of Iraq, and has refused to send troops to the country.
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country.