British journalist freed

British journalist James Brandon, a freelance working for the Sunday Telegraph, was released today and told colleagues he was in good shape. He said he was freed after the intervention of radical Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr and negotiations with his kidnappers. He was then taken to the local Basra office of al-Sadr's supporters. Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi, a close al-Sadr aide, had made a strong appeal to the kidnappers to release him at once. Al-Sadr's office denied any involvement in the kidnapping. ________________________________ 13.08.2004 - British journalist kidnapped and threatened with execution Reporters Without Borders today denounced what it called the "despicable" threat to kill British Sunday Telegraph journalist James Brandon (photo) by kidnappers who seized him from a hotel in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on 12 August and demanded that US troops withdraw from the holy city of Najaf within 24 hours in exchange for his life. "We call on the kidnappers to free him immediately and unconditionally," it said. "Journalists are civilians and not part of the fighting. Their job is to inform the public and in no circumstances can they be used as objects in bargaining." The worldwide press freedom organisation noted that, with 33 journalists and assistants killed so far in the Iraqi conflict, the media had already paid "a very heavy price" and "continue to do their job there in extremely hazardous conditions." It said the kidnapping and threat to kill Brandon was "a threat to all media working in Iraq." Brandon, 23, was seized from his hotel room by several dozen unidentified gunmen who had reportedly demanded to see the hotel check-in book and accused the hotel owner of harbouring foreigners. The Associated Press news agency said they shot Brandon twice in the leg. The kidnappers released a video in which they said they would only free him if US forces besieging Najaf left the city within the next 24 hours. They described themselves simply as "sons of the Iraqi people." In the video, Brandon stated his name and newspaper and said he was just a journalist whose job was to report the news. Sunday Telegraph deputy editor Matthew d'Ancona said Brandon was in Basra filing material for this Sunday's paper. "We are pursuing his situation with the greatest concern," he said.