Military

DATE=11/15/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=AFGHAN DETAINEES (L)

NUMBER=2-283199

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Eight western aid workers detained by Afghanistan's Taleban rulers for nearly four-months are resting in neighboring Pakistan after being rescued by U-S Special Forces. Correspondent Nick Simeone has details on how the eight made it to freedom.

TEXT: American helicopters airlifted the eight out of southern Afghanistan before dawn and flew them to an airbase outside Pakistan's capital, Islamabad - ending a nearly four-month ordeal that began with their arrest on charges of preaching Christianity.

The four Germans, two Australians, and two Americans who worked for the German based charity Shelter Now, were picked up after being set free during an anti-Taleban uprising.

Tilden Curry, the father of American detainee Dayna Curry tells N-B-C Television news that darkness initially prevented them from being seen by Special Forces helicopters.

/// CURRY ACT ///

And then Heather Mercer had the idea of taking her headcover off and setting it on fire, and the other women did the same thing and they got a little bonfire with their head coverings. And then the helicopters came back again and they saw the light from the fire and landed and took them to Pakistan.

/// END ACT ///

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is offering few details about who on the ground may have helped free the eight. They had been taken out of their Kabul jail cell late Tuesday by fleeing Taleban forces.

/// RUMSFELD ACT ///

I just know that they were freed by forces that came in. I do not know who it was at the moment. And then they were passed off to a second entity, which then brought them 50 or 60-miles south of Kabul where we arranged to have special operations forces extract them.

/// END ACT ///

A clearly relieved President Bush had rejected attempts by the Taleban to use the detainees as bargaining chips while fearing the eight could be held hostage during the war in buildings considered likely targets by American bombs.

/// BUSH ACT ///

I am really proud of our armed forces and I am also thankful for the folks in Afghanistan who helped with this rescue.

/// END ACT ///

All eight of the detainees are said to be in good health and are expected to leave Pakistan for home in the coming days. (SIGNED)

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