French Hostages Return Home, Paris Says No Ransom

[Laughing Mirror]

By Tom Heneghan

PARIS (Reuters) - Two French journalists freed after a 4-month hostage ordeal in Iraq (news - web sites) returned to a heroes' welcome in Paris on Wednesday as the relieved government basked in a national wave of joy at their safe release.

President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin greeted Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot at a military airport outside the capital one day after they were freed by Iraqi militants.

Both looked healthy but thinner than before. Government officials said no ransom was paid for their release.

"We are very happy to be back home because it's very tough when you're surrounded by armed, masked men," said Malbrunot, 41, who reports for the daily Le Figaro. He said their release came as a surprise but went smoothly.

US didn't know the exchange was going to take place

[umtalal]

1. "US didn\'t know the exchange was going to take place"

They would have stopped it.

[Laughing Mirror]

4. This is what I heard on French TV Channel 2, a little while ago

The exchange took place in complete secrecy between French secret service and the hostage takers. There was concern on both sides that if the Americans found out, there would be deaths.

Thank goodness the exchange went off without a hitch. I wouldn't doubt if the two journalists came home from captivity with an interesting book under their arms waiting to be published.

[umtalal]

6. MAN, my instinct has been right so far.

[brainshrub]

2. Armed masked men.

Sounds like the police during a protest rally here in the US.

[Flagg]

3. If Allawi and his band of thugs had known about it

You can be sure they would have done everything in their power to stop it.
The DGSE ( French secret service) had to act unberknowst to the americans.



Allawi wished for terror attacks in Paris and Nice last I heard from the piece of shit.

[Rochambeau]

5. Well said ! And if they haven't been freed earlier it's because Allawi

and his masters did their best to sabotage all of the previous attempts. It would have been so cool if the 'terraist' would have behead the damn french.

Allawi is just another US ridiculous puppet like Ngo Dinh Diem in Vietnam and Lon Nol in Cambodia before. He will finish like them dead or exiled. I will be so sad when his car will explode in the middle of a Baghdad street...

[umtalal]

7. Allawi will never measure up to France. He is no good as a leader.

[0007]

8. Your absolutely right! And Allawi will be the U.S.'s down fall.