IRAQ/INODONESIA: JAKARTA RECEIVES UNCONFIRMED REPORT THAT TWO INDONESIAN JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN SEIZED IN IRAQ

Record ID: 584788

  • Title: IRAQ/INODONESIA: JAKARTA RECEIVES UNCONFIRMED REPORT THAT TWO INDONESIAN JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN SEIZED IN IRAQ
  • Date: 18th February 2005
  • Summary: BN06 JAKARTA, INDONESIA (FEBRUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. EXTERIOR OF INDONESIA FOREIGN MINISTRY 0.05 2. (SOUNDBITE)(English) INDONESIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN MARTY NATALEGAWA SAYING: "We have received unconfirmed reports, out of our embassy in Amman in Jordan, that two Indonesian nationals, or precisely two Indonesian reporters who have been travelling from Amman, Jordan to Iraq had been en route to Iraq. Has said their car interfered or intercepted have been taken away by armed individuals. At this time, we've lost contact with these two Indonesian journalists, we cannot just yet confirm whether in fact they have been kidnapped or at least for that there has been ransom." 0.54 3. JOURNALIST INTERVIEWING NATALEGAWA 0.59 4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN MARTY NATALEGAWA SAYING: "At this time we hope that this is not confirmed but if it is confirmed clearly we will do all we can to ensure that they will be released. Because these individuals certainly, and no Indonesian individuals deserve to be put in that position where their liberty has been taken away from them." 1.24 (BN06) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS) 5. WS: EXTERIOR OF INDONESIAN EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD 1.30 6. INDONEISAN FLAG ON TOP OF EMBASSY BUILDING 1.34 7. WS: EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY 1.43 8. CU: SIGN READING " CENTRE OF INDONESIAN CULTURE" 1.47 9. SCU: EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY BUILDING 1.54 10. WS: EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY 1.58 11. CU: INDONESIAN FLAG FLYING (R-L) 2.04 12. EXTERIOR EMBASSY WITH POLICE CAR IN FRONT 2.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th March 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ AND JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA37PJIWITE6HKYG15FMUVJWLBK
  • Story Text: Indonesia recieves an unconfirmed report that two
    Indonesian journalists have been seized in Iraq.


    A Jakarta government spokesman on Fridya (February
    18) said Indonesian television journalists have been seized
    by Iraqi militants in the western city of Ramadi, an Iraqi
    guerrilla stronghold.

    "We have received unconfirmed reports, out of our
    embassy in Amman in Jordan, that two Indonesian nationals,
    or precisely two Indonesian reporters who have been
    travelling from Amman, Jordan to Iraq had been en route to
    Iraq. Has said their car interfered or intercepted have
    been taken away by armed individuals. At this time, we've
    lost contact with these two Indonesian journalists, we
    cannot just yet confirm whether in fact they have been
    kidnapped or at least for that there has been ransom,"
    Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa told Reuters
    Television.

    Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has
    been a staunch critic of the U.S.-led invasion and
    occupation of Iraq.

    Natalegawa said his office had been told by Metro TV,
    Indonesia's only 24-hour news broadcaster, that the
    journalists were in Iraq but had not contacted their
    employer recently.

    Natalegawa did not give the names of the journalists.

    Last October, the rebel Islamic Army in Iraq kidnapped
    two Indonesian women working as maids before releasing them
    several days later.

    An Indonesian engineer was shot dead in an ambush in the northern
    I
    raq city of Mosul last August.

    It is unclear how many Indonesians are working in Iraq,
    but there are believed to be fewer than nationals from
    other Asian countries such as the Philippines and India.

    The militant Islamic Army in Iraq has previously
    demanded Indonesia's government free Muslim cleric Abu
    Bakar Bashir, who is facing trial in Indonesia on terrorism
    charges relating to
    deadly bombings in 2002 and 2003.
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