• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=8/30/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE / BRITAIN (L-O)
NUMBER=2-265974
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  British military officers in Sierra Leone say 
negotiations are progressing to gain the release of 11 
British soldiers who are being held hostage by 
renegade soldiers.  Correspondent Laurie Kassman 
reports from London that the British soldiers are part 
of a U-N effort to train Sierra Leone's army.
TEXT:  Brigadier Gordon Hughes told British radio he 
is determined to gain the release of 11 of his 
soldiers.
            /// HUGHES ACT ///
      We are very focussed.  We are very determined.  
      We are certainly not complacent.  This is a 
      dialogue we are engaged in.  These are talks.  
      We will take it step by step.  What we want to 
      get to is a quick solution for a safe release of 
      all our soldiers.
            /// END ACT ///
The British troops were taken hostage last Friday by a 
group of renegade soldiers who demanded food and 
medicine for their release.  Now, the West Side Boys, 
as the hostage takers are known, are also demanding 
the release from prison of one of their leaders.  The 
group is loyal to former junta leader Johnny Paul 
Koroma, who has been called in to help free the 
British troops.
Britain's top commander in Sierra Leone says the 
negotiations are progressing.  Negotiators have met 
one of the captive soldiers and confirmed they have 
not been harmed. 
But Brigadier Hughes has refused to comment directly 
on allegations by the head of the U-N peacekeeping 
mission in Sierra Leone that the British soldiers had 
wandered into a dangerous zone without U-N 
authorization.
            /// HUGHES ACT TWO ///
      It is really far too early to speculate on the 
      circumstances surrounding the detention of our 
      soldiers.  Whenever they have been safely 
      released there will be a full and accurate 
      report made and that's normal procedures.
            /// END ACT ///
The 11 soldiers and one Sierra Leone national were 
captured near Masiaka, which is located about 75-
kilometers east of Freetown.   (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/GE/RAE
30-Aug-2000 07:37 AM EDT (30-Aug-2000 1137 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.