Iran TV Shows New Footage of Captured Britons

News Brief – April 2, 2007

Iranian television showed new footage of two of the 15 British sailors and marines held in Iran, and said they had admitted entering Iranian waters.

Al-Alam television showed the two men in khaki uniforms standing in front of a large map of the Gulf. The state run television station said the two gave detailed accounts of how they entered Iranian waters while on an inspection mission.

In the video both men, named as officers, described their mission and capture.

"At approximately about 10 o'clock in the morning we were seized, apparently at this point here from their maps and the GPS they showed us, which is inside Iranian territorial waters," Captain Chris Air said in the footage which was released to international broadcasters.

"So far we have been treated very well by all the people here. They have looked after us and made sure that ... (they) feed us enough food and we've been treated very well from them so we thank you for that."

The second Briton said: "My name is Lieutenant Felix Carmen ...Yes, I'd like to say to the Iranian people, I can understand why you were so angry about our intrusion into your waters ... "

While Iran said it picked up the sailors in Iranian waters, Britain insists they were in Iraqi waters.

The British Foreign Office said: "It's completely unacceptable for these pictures to be shown on television, given the potential to cause distress to their families."



A video grab taken from the Iranian Arabic-speaking television station Al-Alam shows a British serviceman speaking in front of a chart of the Gulf waters. (AFP Photo)





In contrast, how the Coalition treats its captives.


Last updated 04/04/2007