Interview with Freed Journalist
Paul | 06.11.2006 16:04 | Anti-militarism | Oxford | World
Gabriele was released and belwo is an interview with him just after being released. This is an unusually happy ending. Hopefully the articles I have published from the time of his kidnapping have given some idea of the process.
Gabriele Torsello is free
Italian freelance fotoreporter, kidnapped in southern Afghanistan on October 12, has been released.
How are you, Gabriele? I'm happy, I'm happy. I am fine. What has happened during these 23 days? How did they treat you? I never saw the light during my kidnapping. On the first day I was always in chains, but at least I had a Koran and I could read it. Then they moved me, and after that I didn't have the Koran anymore. They kept me in chains, locked in a room. Last night, for the first time I saw the moon. How did you spend your days? I always thought to my family, and at times I could absent myself and imagine I was elsewhere. Then I saw the chains on my feet, and I realized it was only a dream. I've always eaten: potatoes, or afghan bread dipped in a soup made with a piece of fat. Were you scared? Yes, especially the night. I was sitting in my room, in chains, waiting for the dinner. They arrived and opened the door. One of them grabbed me and took me out, without letting me put my shoes on and without blindfolding me, a thing that they always did. He pushed me hard, I had the chains, I couldn't follow him and I had to jump to be able to follow him. I thought they were going to kill me. But they put me in a car instead, and they moved me. What will you do now? I want to go to Alessano, to my family. I hug them all. See you there. Maso Notarianni On Friday november 3, at around 10 italian time (1,30 afghan time) a phone call to the hospital run by the Ngo Emergency in Lashkar-gah has provided information on a site, on the road to Kandahar, where Gabriele Torsello might have been released. An afghan member of Emergency staff reached the defined place. There he found the italian journalist and took him to italian government officials. The Ngo Emergency promptly informed Torsello's relatives and the italian Foreign affair ministry.
Italian freelance fotoreporter, kidnapped in southern Afghanistan on October 12, has been released.
How are you, Gabriele? I'm happy, I'm happy. I am fine. What has happened during these 23 days? How did they treat you? I never saw the light during my kidnapping. On the first day I was always in chains, but at least I had a Koran and I could read it. Then they moved me, and after that I didn't have the Koran anymore. They kept me in chains, locked in a room. Last night, for the first time I saw the moon. How did you spend your days? I always thought to my family, and at times I could absent myself and imagine I was elsewhere. Then I saw the chains on my feet, and I realized it was only a dream. I've always eaten: potatoes, or afghan bread dipped in a soup made with a piece of fat. Were you scared? Yes, especially the night. I was sitting in my room, in chains, waiting for the dinner. They arrived and opened the door. One of them grabbed me and took me out, without letting me put my shoes on and without blindfolding me, a thing that they always did. He pushed me hard, I had the chains, I couldn't follow him and I had to jump to be able to follow him. I thought they were going to kill me. But they put me in a car instead, and they moved me. What will you do now? I want to go to Alessano, to my family. I hug them all. See you there. Maso Notarianni On Friday november 3, at around 10 italian time (1,30 afghan time) a phone call to the hospital run by the Ngo Emergency in Lashkar-gah has provided information on a site, on the road to Kandahar, where Gabriele Torsello might have been released. An afghan member of Emergency staff reached the defined place. There he found the italian journalist and took him to italian government officials. The Ngo Emergency promptly informed Torsello's relatives and the italian Foreign affair ministry.
Paul