Sick Mullahs humiliate troops
Paraded ... footage of Faye and some of the other Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines being held hostage
By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON
Political Editor
MARCH 29, 2007
BRITAIN blasted Iran last night for parading our illegally-seized sailors on TV and humiliating mum Faye Turney.
The stand-off over the 15 British service personnel held by Iran intensified after Tehran warned that it could delay the release of Leading Seaman Faye Turney if Britain takes the issue to the United Nations (and Britain, not bowing to any Iranian pressure, HAS taken the issue to the United Nations).
Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Larijani warned that the British Government had “miscalculated” in its handling of the crisis - triggered by the seizure of the British personnel last Friday.
Downing Street made clear that it did intend to pursue the matter with Britain’s allies in the UN.
Tony Blair insisted: “There’s no alternative but to release them and the longer it goes on the more the pressure will be stepped up.
"I’m not interested in confrontation for its own sake, the most important thing is to get 15 personnel back safe and sound."
It came as France and the United States publicly supported Britain's position in the diplomatic stalemate.
The French Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to France to demand the swift release of the detained sailors.
"We reiterated our solidarity with the British and called on the Iranian authorities to free the detained sailors as soon as possible," spokesman Denis Simonneau said in a statement.
There was deep anger in Whitehall at the treatment of the 15 - particularly Leading Seaman Turney who was shown on Iranian television admitting that the Royal Navy party had “trespassed” into Iranian waters.
The spokesman said: "Nobody should be put in that position. It is an impossible position to be put in."
Fuming Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said: “It is completely unacceptable to show these pictures.”
Larijani told state television: "The grounds were ready for the release of a woman among the British sailors but if we are faced with a fuss and wrong behaviour then this would be suspended and it would not take place."
Yesteday Britain proved that the Iranian mullahs are
LYING when they claim they captured the Royal Navy team operating inside their waters.
Mrs Beckett hit back after footage of brave Leading Seaman Faye, 26, wearing a Muslim headscarf and praising her captors was shown on Iranian TV and beamed around the world.
She was forced on the orders of ranting president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to write a letter of apology to the Iranian people.
And the mum of one was ordered to write a letter to her parents — in which she says two small boats carrying 15 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines had entered Iranian waters.
Faye puffed nervously on a cigarette as she said on TV: "My name is Leading Seaman Faye Turney. I come from England.
I’ve been in the Navy for nine years."
She says of her Iranian captors: “They were very friendly and very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people.
"They explained to us why we’ve been arrested. There was no harm, no aggression."
Her letter to her parents, in which she also claims her daughter Molly will get a present from the Iranians, was faxed to the Iranian embassy in London and published. It reads:
"Dear mum & Dad,
"I am writing to you from Iran, where I am being held.
"I will try to explain to you what has happened. We were out in the boats when we were arrested by Iranian forces as we had apparently gone into Iranian waters.
TV appearance ... Faye on Iranian TV and, inset, she is held on a boat flying the Iranian flag
"I wish we hadn’t, because then I’d be home with you all right now.
"I am so sorry we did, because I know we wouldn’t be here now if we hadn’t.
"I want you to know that I am well and safe. I am being well looked after. I’m fed three meals a day and have a constant supply of fluids.
"The people are friendly and hospitable, very compassionate and warm. I have written a letter to the Iranian people to apologise for us entering their waters.
"Please don’t worry about me, I am staying strong.
"Hopefully it won’t be long until I am home to get ready for Molly’s bIrthday party with a present from the Iranian people.
"Love you all more than you will ever know.
"All my love, Faye."
The televised interview is strictly in breach of the Geneva Convention.
Last night a body expert said Faye’s expressions showed she was "stressed and under pressure".
Pictures also showed some of the seven sailors and seven Royal Marine Commandos seized with Faye last Friday.
They were shown eating pitta bread and stew. In these scenes Faye wore a white and blue checked headscarf with her naval uniform.
Proof ... GPS shows location where Brits were ambushed was in Iraqi water
In later footage, she wore a white robe and black headscarf. Footage of the moment of capture was also shown on Iranian television. The Britons are seen behind a flapping Iranian flag aboard an inflatable.
Mrs Beckett said: "I am very concerned about these pictures and any indication of pressure on or coercion of our personnel — who were carrying out a routine operation in accordance with international law.
"I am particularly disappointed that a private letter has been used in a way which can only add to the distress of the families. We have comprehensively demonstrated today that our personnel were operating in Iraqi territorial waters."
Defence Secretary Des Browne added: "It’s completely unacceptable to parade our people in this way. My whole focus is to secure the immediate release of our people."
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki last night insisted Britain must admit the boats strayed into their waters. He said Faye would be released "as soon as possible".
The lightly-armed Britons from the frigate HMS Cornwall had boarded an Indian merchant ship in the Shaat-al-Arab waterway off Basra.
Staying strong ... captive Faye was forced to write this letter to her parents
As they left, two gunboats manned by Iranian Revolutionary Guards with machine guns and rocket launchers moved in. Four more Iranian boats then arrived.
Outnumbered and out-gunned, the Royal Navy team had to surrender.
Photos released yesterday showed an electronic GPS navigation system being held by a British helicopter crew member above the boarded merchant vessel. It shows that our two boats, one of them steered by Faye, were 1.7 nautical miles inside
IRAQI waters.
It also emerged that the Iranians at first provided map co-ordinates showing the Brits in Iraqi waters — then sent new ones purporting to show them in Iranian waters.
Tony Blair told MPs the detention was “wrong and illegal”.
Iran has still refused to allow the UK ambassador to visit the crew.
Israel’s Deputy PM Shimon Peres warned an early release of the hostages was unlikely. He said: "They will make the maximum possible out of this." Faye’s husband Adam, a naval petty officer, was at home with their daughter Molly, three, in Plymouth yesterday.
Friend Kim Slater, 49, called the TV footage “shocking”. She said: "She looked very uncomfortable with what she was saying. There is something not right in her eyes."
Two other hostages have been named, Royal Marine Paul Barton, 21, of Southport, Merseyside, and Royal Marine Danny Masterton, 26, of Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.
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Video nasty is a war crime
By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
WHY have the evil Ayatollahs forced shaken Faye Turney to hang her head in shame on live TV? For doing nothing more than serving Queen and Country — and with huge skill and pride.
This is the ultimate humiliation for every British serviceman and woman. And seeing it will make their blood boil.
Parading captured troops in public is a war crime. Britain would never do it.
Then there is the personal degradation of making Faye wear a headscarf. As a woman excelling in a man’s world, she will be furious to have been belittled.
But worst of all, they have exploited the terror of Faye’s daughter Molly and her mum’s deep feelings for her.
By airing this video nasty, Iran’s fanatical leaders have escalated the crisis.
Nobody who wears a uniform will ever forgive them. And they’ll be itching for the chance to make them sorry.
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At least they all look safe
Says ANDY McNAB
Sun Security Adviser
OUR Boys are — at the time this film was shot — clearly safe and well.
They’re not being tortured as they’re political, not military, prisoners. They’re being held to serve a purpose.
These hostages are smart and WANT to get on TV to let people know they are OK. They will have been gagging to be filmed. It is important for them to prove they are alive and well.
They know everyone back home knows the statement they were given to read is utter b******s.
I’m over the moon at the footage. It gives our troops clues where they are.
------------------------------------------ This will give family hope
Says JOHN NICHOL
Gulf War Hostage
I EXPECTED to see pictures of our brave hostages paraded on TV sooner or later.
They would have been happy to appear to give them the chance to show their families they are safe and well. The statement they were given to read is a load of cobblers, pure propaganda. But they are smart enough to say whatever is necessary to aid their release.
It is an incredibly difficult situation for these brave hostages and their families back home — and, fortunately, I was struck by how well they looked. Watching them one can only feel pride.
They are brave and heroic.
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READERS' COMMENTS
Attack Iran!
Isn't time for the British to show some muscle? Don't depend on the US. Get the sailors out of Teheran, then blast the hell out of Iran. Restore the United Kingdom to its former glory!!!
hhudson, Canada
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Send in the SAS!
Isn't it about time to make a phone call to the boys in Hereford?
griffinmill, UK
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