COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER BRIEFING
Multi-National Force-Iraq
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER BRIEFING WITH NICK WARNER, HEAD OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM AND AUSTRALIAN DEPUTY SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE
TOPIC: THE RESCUE OF HOSTAGE DOUGLAS WOOD
LOCATION: THE COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
DATE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2005
MR. WARNER: (Off mike) -- as you already will have heard today, but let me confirm and let me confirm with great delight that Douglas Wood, who was abducted on the 30th of April in Baghdad, was rescued earlier today from a house in the Ghazalia area. He's now resting comfortably and at a safe location in Baghdad.
He's as well as you could expect him to be after enduring what has been 47 days in captivity. At the moment, he's undergoing medical and psychological assessment, and he's receiving the best of care.
Mr. Wood has asked me to read out to you the following message. I think we're going to have a slide at the sides here. This is Mr. Wood's message.
(Reading.) "I am extremely happy and relieved to be free again, and deeply grateful to all those who worked to bring about my release. Some of these people I've already been able to thank personally, but I know there are many others I may never get the chance to meet. "I'm also very grateful for the support of my family and looking forward to catching up with loved ones as soon as possible.
"It's a positive sign for the future of Iraq that Iraqi soldiers played such a key role in my release."
Mr. Wood has also asked me to let you know that for the moment, he won't be making any further public statements, certainly not until he's well enough to do so. Until then, he asks and I ask that everyone respect his privacy and his need to take some time to recuperate.
In addition to Mr. Wood's thanks, on behalf of the Australian government, I would like to thank the Iraqi government, the Iraqi military and the Iraqi people, who have worked tirelessly and in difficult circumstances -- and often dangerous circumstances -- to achieve this result, working to save the life of an Australian when their own lives are beset with problems, with the problems and the pain of building a new Iraq.
I would also like to thank the members of the Emergency Response Team who came to Baghdad with me, personnel from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who are here, and also in Canberra, and also in other capitals around the world, members of the Australian Federal Police, members of the Australian Defense Force, and other agencies who have been closely involved in every step of this effort to secure the release of Mr. Wood. Quite simply, it's been an honor to work with such dedicated and professional people.
As you'll appreciate, I hope, it was important for us that we do our work over these past six weeks or more out of the glare of the media. This is the first press conference that the Emergency Response Team has held. And there are operational matters that I'm not going to go into today, although I would be willing, and I think the general would be, too, at the end of our two statements to take a few questions. But I would now like to provide a few details to you of the events that led up to Mr. Wood's release earlier today.
As I said in the beginning, he was kidnapped on the 30th of April, round about lunchtime. On 3 May, less than 36 hours after the news was received in Australia of Mr. Wood's abduction, members of the Emergency Response Team arrived in Baghdad from Canberra and elsewhere in Australia and started work. You will have picked this up in the last six weeks, but we engaged in an extensive media campaign and, indeed, a political campaign aimed at reaching out to the Iraqi people, reaching out to Iraqi religious leaders and political leaders, telling them of Mr. Wood's plight and in an effort to try and identify possible intermediaries.
On the 10th of May, Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilali, the mufti of Australia, arrived in Baghdad and launched his own efforts on behalf of Mr. Wood. The mufti and I had remained in daily contact throughout that time, whether he's been in Baghdad or elsewhere in the region.
On the 29th of May, the Emergency Response Team received a proof of life video of Mr. Wood. This was the third video that we had received of Mr. Wood.
The other two being delivered, I think, first of all, to Reuters and the second one to Al-Jazeera.
With the delivery of this video, the kidnappers opened a channel of communication with us through an intermediary, an intermediary we've been working with for quite some time. And in the meantime, Sheikh Hilali opened his own channel for communication.
Perhaps at this stage I can confirm one point -- that perhaps we can come back to if you'd like in questions -- I just want to confirm that at no time was any ransom paid by the Australian government nor were there any political or other concessions made by the Australian government to those holding Mr. Wood.
Today, this morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., the 2nd Battalion 1st Iraqi Armored Brigade, supported by coalition soldiers, conducted a raid in the Ghazalia area of Baghdad. They were operating on intelligence and tips gathered by Colonel Mohammed (sp), 2nd Battalion Commander. During the raid, Iraqi soldiers subdued two insurgents and rescued Mr. Wood and one Iraqi hostage. Colonel Mohammed (sp) quickly turned Mr. Wood over to U.S. and Australian authorities.
Colonel Mohammed (sp), too, has asked me to make a brief statement on his behalf, and I'll read that to you now. He says, "This is a great day for Iraq. We are proud of the way our soldiers conducted themselves. It is an honor to have been of help."
On behalf of the Australian government, I warmly endorse those comments and, in turn, pass on my thanks and the thanks of the Australian government for the outstanding and courageous work of the Iraqi military and Colonel Mohammed (sp) and his men, in particular, in rescuing Douglas Wood.
I would now like to turn over it to General Abadi, and after that, as I said, we'd both be happy to take a few questions.
Thank you.
GEN. ABADI: (Off mike) -- Mr. Wood -- it's a great day for him and his family, his friends, and for Australia. And I would like to congratulate also Mr. Rasul (sp) for their escape from prison and the insurgents. (Through interpreter.) In fact the Iraqi government took a decision to restore peace and security. And the operations carried out by the Ministry of Interior and our forces, the new Iraqi army, are the results of this decision. And soon, God willing, peace and security will be restored to our homeland.
Thank you very much.
MR. WARNER: (In progress) -- take some questions. Yeah?
Q (Through interpreter.) Abbas Asalihey (sp) from Radio Sawa. My question to the Australian official in Iraq: after freeing Douglas Wood, what is the attitude of the Australian government towards taking part in the reconstruction of Iraq, in addition to other issues, such as their security file? This is a question for Mr. Nick Warner. And a question for Nasir Abadi: We want the details about the operation which freed Douglas Wood. And when did the operation begin? And what is the role of the multinational forces in the release of the hostage?
MR. WARNER: Two parts to that question. Firstly, in respect of Australian policy towards Iraq, and secondly, to the general in respect of the role of the Iraqi army in this rescue operation.
For my part of the question, can I maybe emphasize that it should be put to the Australian government in Canberra who would give a fuller than I can. But very simply and quickly, the Australian government remains committed to helping the people of Iraq rebuild their country, and to put it well and truly -- and successfully and happily -- on its own two feet. What we want for Iraq is what Iraqi people want for Iraq. That is, an independent, a proud, and a prosperous country.
GEN. ABADI: The operation was an ordinary operation to us, an ordinary cordon-and-search operation by the First Brigade, commanded by General Jalil (sp). We raided a house and we detained three terrorists. And we released Mr. Rasul (sp) and Mr. Douglas Wood. And we have been able to seize some weapons. As for the friendly forces, they backed us and the Iraqi forces raided the house and carried out the operation.
Q (In English, in progress.) -- questions about the details of the operation. If you could give us a play-by-play, as much detail as possible? Were they in a basement? Were they in -- were they chained? What was the scene like when the police encountered them? Borsu Dergahi (sp), Los Angeles Times. MR. WARNER: Want me to answer that?
GEN. ABADI (?): As you wish.
MR. WARNER: These are operational issues, and there's not too much that I can give you at this stage, partly because there's not too much at this stage that I know the details of that military operation. As I said to you in the beginning, Mr. Wood has been in captivity for 47 days.
In that time he has been blindfolded and handcuffed. He has not been well looked after.
The operation that rescued him this morning resulted, as I understand it, in no casualties. It was an immensely professional operation. Those who were holding Mr. Wood were themselves captured. And Mr. Wood and the Iraqi hostage, as you know, were freed.
Q Were there signs of torture?
MR. WARNER: I don't want to go into those sorts of issues at the moment. I'm sorry.
Q William Akis (sp) from AFP. Were there any signs that this house or these people had perhaps served to hold other prisoners, for example Florence and Hussein, or the Romanian journalists?
MR. WARNER: I don't have those details at the moment. There's really nothing more I can say. You know, we need to -- we've now got Mr. Wood into a safe and caring environment where he's being looked after. We'll start talking to him about the details of what happened to him over the past 47 days when he's feeling better, when he's up to it.
MR. WARNER: There will be an interrogation and we'll find out what happened.
Q (In Arabic.)
MR. : (In Arabic.)
Q (In Arabic.)
MR. : (In Arabic.)
MR. : The question was whether there were any foreign intelligence agencies involved in identifying the house, and also, any details at all about the kidnappers' demands -- political, financial.
MR. WARNER: I can't answer the first part of that question. Again, it goes to operational issues that I'd prefer not to go into today. There was a -- I said earlier that we received a third proof of life video on the 29th of May. That video came with a demand for payment of a very, very large ransom. If you remember back to the first two videos, the first video called for the withdrawal of Australian, British and American forces from Iraq. And I'm remembering correctly, the second video called for the withdrawal of Australian forces.
Q Steve (Higgins ?), Financial Times. General Abadi mentioned that it was an ordinary cordon and search operation. I don't -- were you actually expecting -- was the operation itself simply targeting the area, or were you -- was it targeted specifically to try and find Mr. Wood? Also, would Brigadier Abjalil (sp) be able to just describe for us anything at all about the physical scene, when his soldiers went in there and what they found?
GEN. ABJALIL (sp): Okay. You take it.
MR. WARNER: No, I'm not going to take the second bit. I'll leave that to you. (Laughs.)
It was, I think, a -- it's part of the broader scheme of operations going on in the Baghdad area. Is that called Operation Lightning, I think? But as I said in my comments, there were -- there was some specific intelligence and some specific tips that provided a hint as to what might be found in the location.
GEN. ABJALIL (sp): He was under a blanket. And he was tied down. And they claimed that he's their father and he's sick. But when they uncovered him, they found him.
(Through interpreter.) He was handcuffed and he was under a blanket. And between when they uncovered the blanket, they discovered him, and they detained them. There is some information about two Iraqis with Mr. Douglas. Only one contractor was with him. His name is Said Rasul (sp). But we have some certain information that there are two Iraqis, that there were two Iraqis with him that were kidnapped with him. We find -- in the house we found only Mr. Douglas Wood and Mr. Rasul (sp). Only these two people.
MR. WARNER: Could I just add something to the general's answer about the two Iraqis who you referred to as having been kidnapped with Douglas Wood. Mr. Wood, for the first week or so, maybe nine or 10 days, was held together with the two Iraqis that you're referring to. They were kidnapped with him. After that period of time, he was separated from them, and he doesn't know what happened to them.
Q (Off mike) -- from Knight Ridder newspapers. My question is for the general. General, this operation came under the Operation Lightning? And can you tell us more about the raid on the -- (inaudible) -- (College ?) Association, Dr. Harth Vari (ph), which had been, you know, I think yesterday, or today the early morning?
GEN./MR. : (In English.) This is joint operation between MOI and MOD. They conduct their own operations. They've got their own areas of responsibility and we've got our own. That was in our area of responsibility where we were conducting operations.
On the second question, I don't think I have a comment.
MR. WARNER: Maybe just one or two more. Yes?
Q (Off mike.)
INTERPRETER: Microphone, please.
GEN. ABADI: (Through interpreter.) We haven't finished the investigation, and soon we will be able to know the information.
Q (Off mike) -- successful day this was in terms of this operation for the Iraqi army, it was also a hard day for another unit in the Iraqi army, and I was wondering if you can talk a little bit about the incident that happened in the mess hall.
GEN. ABADI: (Conferring off mike.)
Q (Off mike.)
MR. WARNER: We seem to be straying away from -- (off mike). Let's make this the last question.
Someone who hasn't asked a question.
Q Reuters. I just wonder if you can give us any more about the Iraqi who was also freed, the other hostage, who he is and how long he'd been held, and so forth.
MR. WARNER: I don't have that information.
MR. : I think he was a contractor. Russell Tie (ph) is his name, full name.
MR. WARNER: Okay, thank you for your patience in waiting. And I apologize, but you'll understand it's been a busy day. Thank you.
END.
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