Here is a link the the original Reuters Article (both lines).
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7560876

It appears that the Egyptian government was the sole source for this article; although, Reuters did try to get the whole story from US.

"In Baghdad, a U.S. military spokesman told Reuters he was unable to immediately confirm the report, adding that the military had heard media reports and were making checks."

They should have issued a correction or addendum.

Hooah!

Well done!

Reader John,

You raised a fine man. I'm sure proud that he's one of ours.

Compared to the NYT Reuters wasn't that far off!

1.Here's how the NYT reports the story:

"Also on Monday, kidnappers released four Egyptian telephone engineers who were abducted Sunday in Baghdad...The Egyptians worked for a subsidiary of the Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom that built Baghdad's mobile phone system. They were ambushed Sunday outside their home in the capital and bundled into cars. A company spokesman said they were released Monday evening. "They are in good health and no ransom was paid," said the spokesman, Shamel Hanafi. "They should be leaving the country early in the morning." He offered no details on how the release had been arranged." [*NYT, 2/8/05]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/08/international/middleeast/08iraq.html?pagewanted=print&position=

2.Here's how CNN reported the event:

"Egyptian hostages released Four Egyptian technicians working for an Egyptian telecommunications company have been freed and are not hurt, the chairman and chief executive officer of Orascom told CNN Monday.

Two of the employees were freed from a villa in a joint operation between U.S. and Iraqi troops, and the two others escaped from the trunk of a car and dodged bullets as they ran to safety, said Naguib Sawiris. "They are in excellent condition," he said in a telephone interview from Algiers, Algeria.

In addition, one of the kidnappers was caught, Sawiris said. The two who escaped made their way to the company's headquarters in Baghdad and the other two were with U.S. forces in the Green Zone, he said."We are extremely happy," he said.

The four were abducted Sunday morning outside their house in the Jamiah neighborhood of western Baghdad.

The kidnappers demanded a $500,000 ransom in the afternoon, "which we had not responded to," Sawiris said. The technicians have been in Iraq for a year, working for Iraqna, a subsidiary of Egypt's Orascom..." [CNN, 2/7/05]

3. And here's how Centcom/MFN-Iraq reported it:

"BAGHDAD, Iraq –Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, stopped a vehicle they thought was suspicious at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 7.
When they searched the vehicle, inside the trunk, the Soldiers found two blindfolded and bound men. The men were two of four Egyptian kidnap victims, taken captive on Feb. 6. When the vehicle first stopped, the three occupants fled the scene on foot. The Soldiers followed in pursuit, catching two. The two men caught are being held for further questioning."[MNF-Iraq Press Release, 2/8/05]

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/media-information/February/050208g.htm

*Note as of 2/9/2005 the NYT still reads "kidnappers released" without an update from the Centcom press release and with no correction in their "Correction Section". Apparently they are too sophisticated to read Centcom press releases.

Man, take off the conspiracy hat for a second. I really don't think Reuters was sloppy or biased. They quoted Naguib Sawiris, chairman of Egypt's Orascom Telecom, who was probably the only person who would talk to them who knew about the event. What bias is there in crediting the soldiers for saving some folks and not others?

The bias is in not doing the natural, responsible thing and asking the soldiers what happened.

Of course, judging from Eason Jordan's comments, they were probably afraid U.S. soldiers would shoot them, and wouldn't have believed them if they had asked them.

Biased? Nahhhhhhh...

ReutersLovesYOu: There is no fault in reporting what is said to them, but it seems that a responsible reporter interested in the truth, instead of saying the "U.S. military spokesman ... was unable to immediately confirm the report ... and [was] making checks" might have waited a couple of hours and got the whole story. I'm not denying he accurately passed along what one person said, but it seems that an e-mail list would have been just as effective for that purpose. He's supposed to be a journalist, after all, and add value to the data beyond basic wordsmithing.

Like father, like son. Brave soldiers both.

Ralph Artigliere

What more can one say. Thanks to a dad who allowed his son to join the military. Thanks to a dad who trained that son about what it is to be an American, and the costs invovled.

Thanks to a son who is over in a country, doing a job that needs to be done. A job that was well done.

But it does show what the truth really is, instead of what a reporter wishes the truth to be.

I hope Mr. Lucas or his son runs for office in the future.

Hey! You guys are heroes, you are winning this war on terror... even if the lives you save do not appreciate it.

Speaking of ingrates, have you read about Chris Cramer, the CNN guy that OSS rescued from Iranina terrorists?

"Long History Of Hostility Towards Military By CNNi Executive"

www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/

We are so proud of our servicemembers. I teach high school. I leave your blogs on my computer in the classroom. The kids are so inspired by the TRUTH. They are so excited to point out the mush and drivel of msm news.

Our military and the blogs are going to make America a Free Country again.

"To secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity..."

Our prayers are with your son and all of our troops every day. God bless you.

JoeS

Another awesome job by the 10th Mountain Division.
God bless all our warriors!