Posted on 06/15/2005 7:31:44 AM PDT by phoenix_004
The French journalist released by her Iraqi kidnappers after five months of captivity has spoken of her experience.
Florence Aubenas, a 44-year-old reporter with Libération, arrived back in France on Sunday after she and her Iraqi guide Hussein Hanun al-Saadi were kidnapped during a reporting trip to a refugee camp in early January.
Despite the difficulties she faced during more than 150 days spent blindfolded on a mattress in a pitch-dark cellar, Ms Aubenas gave a humourous account of her experience.
She said her kidnappers made her wear a T-shirt reading Titanic and asked her for the email address of Jacques Chirac, French president.
Just before their release, her driver suggested she should give their kidnappers her remaining money as a gift, Ms Aubenas said.
"180 dollars, that's expensive! The hotel didn't merit that," she said.
Ms Aubenas said she had not lost hope in the cellar.
"Never," she said. "You're not asking yourself whether you should hold on or not. You are just there."
Ms Aubenas lost 12 kg on the kidnappers' diet of egg sandwiches and rice.
She was allowed to make 24 steps a day to go to the toilet.
Asked whether her time in captivity had changed her, Ms Aubenas laughed and said: "Yes, I've become even more of a chatterbox."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
A matress in a dark room! A Tshirt! 24 steps a day! Clearly the soviets had nothing on these guys!
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