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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| No 10 defends Afghanistan rescue | No 10 defends Afghanistan rescue |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Downing Street has defended the decision to rescue a British journalist kidnapped in Afghanistan, saying it was "the best chance of saving life". | Downing Street has defended the decision to rescue a British journalist kidnapped in Afghanistan, saying it was "the best chance of saving life". |
| The final decision to rescue Stephen Farrell was taken by Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, a spokesman said. | The final decision to rescue Stephen Farrell was taken by Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, a spokesman said. |
| An earlier, unsuccessful, raid took place within earshot of the captives. | An earlier, unsuccessful, raid took place within earshot of the captives. |
| The mission in northern Afghanistan left a British paratrooper, an Afghan journalist and two civilians dead. | The mission in northern Afghanistan left a British paratrooper, an Afghan journalist and two civilians dead. |
| The earlier raid was in the wrong location but close enough to alert Mr Farrell's kidnappers, the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has learned. | The earlier raid was in the wrong location but close enough to alert Mr Farrell's kidnappers, the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has learned. |
| He told the BBC's One O'Clock News: "There was in fact an earlier raid on Tuesday night put in by British forces to a location where they thought he was being held. They were just out, they were slightly wrong, but it was close enough for the Taliban who were holding Stephen Farrell to hear this. | He told the BBC's One O'Clock News: "There was in fact an earlier raid on Tuesday night put in by British forces to a location where they thought he was being held. They were just out, they were slightly wrong, but it was close enough for the Taliban who were holding Stephen Farrell to hear this. |
| "They captured some Taliban on the Tuesday night. A decision was then subsequently taken to go in." | "They captured some Taliban on the Tuesday night. A decision was then subsequently taken to go in." |
| It was over. Sultan was dead. He had died trying to help me, right up to the very last seconds of his life Stephen Farrell Farrell's New York Times blog href="/2/hi/uk_news/8248829.stm">Q&A: Hostage rescue raids Reporting from the danger zones | |
| The decision to move in followed consultation with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and advice from the government's emergency committee, Cobra. | The decision to move in followed consultation with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and advice from the government's emergency committee, Cobra. |
| Afghan journalists have blamed Nato troops for the death of their colleague, Sultan Munadi, a journalist who was working as a translator for Mr Farrell. | Afghan journalists have blamed Nato troops for the death of their colleague, Sultan Munadi, a journalist who was working as a translator for Mr Farrell. |
| The Afghan journalists have also suggested that the raid was unnecessary because negotiations to free the captives were progressing. | The Afghan journalists have also suggested that the raid was unnecessary because negotiations to free the captives were progressing. |
| 'Enormous repercussions' | 'Enormous repercussions' |
| Our correspondent said that had been denied by sources in the UK government: "That's not the picture they recognise at all. | Our correspondent said that had been denied by sources in the UK government: "That's not the picture they recognise at all. |
| I would not leave Afghanistan. I have passed the very darkest times of my country, when there was war and insecurity Sultan Munadi Mr Munadi's New York Times blog | I would not leave Afghanistan. I have passed the very darkest times of my country, when there was war and insecurity Sultan Munadi Mr Munadi's New York Times blog |
| "They say that negotiations were going nowhere and that once they had the location of where he was, given that he was being moved around a lot they needed to move swiftly in this early period. | "They say that negotiations were going nowhere and that once they had the location of where he was, given that he was being moved around a lot they needed to move swiftly in this early period. |
| "The big worry I think for them was that if they didn't go in and he was then moved off and a month later pops up in a Taliban or al Qaeda video in an orange jumpsuit the repercussions would have been enormous." | "The big worry I think for them was that if they didn't go in and he was then moved off and a month later pops up in a Taliban or al Qaeda video in an orange jumpsuit the repercussions would have been enormous." |
| Writing in the New York Times, Mr Farrell said he thought there had been an earlier attempt to rescue them. | Writing in the New York Times, Mr Farrell said he thought there had been an earlier attempt to rescue them. |
| He said: ""On the third night, just before the 3 am meal - Muslims breakfast very early to comply with the Ramadan daytime fast - there was a scare. Aerial activity intensified, and there were loud explosions in nearby fields. | He said: ""On the third night, just before the 3 am meal - Muslims breakfast very early to comply with the Ramadan daytime fast - there was a scare. Aerial activity intensified, and there were loud explosions in nearby fields. |
| "We and the Taliban, took this as an attempt to free us. They fled with us in minutes, racing across open fields in the dark until they found another refuge." | "We and the Taliban, took this as an attempt to free us. They fled with us in minutes, racing across open fields in the dark until they found another refuge." |
| 'Appeared safe' | 'Appeared safe' |
| Mr Farrell and Mr Munadi were kidnapped travelling to Kunduz in the north of the country. | Mr Farrell and Mr Munadi were kidnapped travelling to Kunduz in the north of the country. |
| They were heading to the scene of a Nato air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers in which a number of bystanders were killed. | They were heading to the scene of a Nato air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers in which a number of bystanders were killed. |
| Military insiders have questioned whether going to an area where anger against the West had been caused by the civilian deaths in the Nato strike was wise. | Military insiders have questioned whether going to an area where anger against the West had been caused by the civilian deaths in the Nato strike was wise. |
| But Mr Farrell, 46, said his Afghan drivers advised him the road "appeared safe". | But Mr Farrell, 46, said his Afghan drivers advised him the road "appeared safe". |
| Civilian deaths | Civilian deaths |
| Two Afghan civilians also died in the Nato raid, a local governor told the BBC. | Two Afghan civilians also died in the Nato raid, a local governor told the BBC. |
| Vincent Brossell from Reporters Without Borders | Vincent Brossell from Reporters Without Borders |
| A resident of Char Dara district in Kunduz province, Mohammad Nabi, reportedly said his brother's wife was killed when his home was raided. | A resident of Char Dara district in Kunduz province, Mohammad Nabi, reportedly said his brother's wife was killed when his home was raided. |
| The Taliban had turned up there on Tuesday night with their two captives, demanding shelter, Mr Nabi told Reuters. | The Taliban had turned up there on Tuesday night with their two captives, demanding shelter, Mr Nabi told Reuters. |
| Mr Farrell has thanked the soldiers who saved him, saying "It wasn't, and never will be, enough". | Mr Farrell has thanked the soldiers who saved him, saying "It wasn't, and never will be, enough". |
| He also paid tribute to his colleague Mr Munadi, who died "trying to help me". | He also paid tribute to his colleague Mr Munadi, who died "trying to help me". |
| He said: "I did not know whether the bullets came from in front, to his right or to his left," he said. | He said: "I did not know whether the bullets came from in front, to his right or to his left," he said. |
| "It was over. Sultan was dead. He had died trying to help me, right up to the very last seconds of his life." | "It was over. Sultan was dead. He had died trying to help me, right up to the very last seconds of his life." |
| This is the second time Mr Farrell has been abducted while on assignment - in 2004 he was kidnapped in the Iraqi city of Falluja while working for London's Times newspaper. | This is the second time Mr Farrell has been abducted while on assignment - in 2004 he was kidnapped in the Iraqi city of Falluja while working for London's Times newspaper. |