"Cooperation in a General Way"

June 15: In this Department of Defense photo, freed Australian hostage Douglas Wood gives thumbs-up after receiving medical checks.

This is a transcript from PM. The program is broadcast around Australia at 5:10pm on Radio National and 6:10pm on ABC Local Radio.

MARK COLVIN: A major breaking story tonight. It appears that the Australian hostage, Douglas Wood, who was taken hostage about a month and a half ago now in Baghdad, is safe. This news comes from the Prime Minister who's just announced it in Parliament.

Our Correspondent Stephanie Kennedy joins me on the line from our Parliament studio. Tell us more.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: Good evening Mark. Yes, that's correct. The Prime Minister John Howard has just entered the House of Representatives and announced that Douglas Wood has been found and is safe and this is exactly what the Prime Minister said.

SPEAKER: Thank you. The PM.

JOHN HOWARD: Mr Speaker, I am delighted to inform the House that the Australian hostage in Iraq, Mr Douglas Wood, is safe from his captors.

(hear, hear)

Mr Wood was recovered a short while ago in Baghdad, in a military operation that, I'm told, was conducted by Iraqi forces in cooperation in a general way with force elements of the United States. He's now under the protection of the Australian Emergency Response Team in Baghdad.

I understand that he is well. He is undergoing medical checks at the present time. I know that all Australians will be jubilant at this news. This man has suffered immensely.

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: Mark, John Howard announcing that Douglas Wood has been found safe. Mr Howard also paid tribute to Douglas Wood's family who have, over the past few weeks and months, sustained a campaign to have their brother released. He said they've demonstrated enormous strength and resolve and courage.

MARK COLVIN: So, from what the Prime Minister said, it's not about a negotiated release or anything like that. This is was some kind of major hostage release operation by the Iraqi military?

STEPHANIE KENNEDY: It certainly appears that way. No doubt the Australian response team, emergency response team that has been in Iraq since Mr Wood was taken hostage was informed and kept informed about the operation but it certainly does look like, as the Prime Minister said, the Iraqi forces have gone in and launched some sort of operation to seize Douglas Wood and get him out of where he was at the time.

Howard and the Australian media downplay the U.S. role in freeing Douglas Wood.

Gee, I wonder why that would be. I suppose Australians wouldn't want to give credit to the U.S. for doing something positive in Iraq.


From AP:

The raid took place as part of Operation Lightning — a broader counterinsurgency operation that began in Baghdad on May 29, Warner said. He added there "was specific intelligence and tips that provided a hint at what might be found at that location."

Wood was freed by the Iraqi army's 2nd battalion, 1st Armored Brigade, with assistance by U.S. forces in Ghazaliya — one of the most dangerous Sunni Arab neighborhood of Baghdad, Warner said. He added that "no ransom was paid" despite a request for a "very large" amount of money.

Wood was found under a blanket and the insurgents told troops he was their sick father, said Gen. Naseer al-Abadi, Iraq's deputy chief of staff. The operation also resulted in the arrest of three insurgents and release of an Iraqi hostage.

Let's be clear about what happened.

Wood's cowardly captors didn't release him. He was freed as a result of a dangerous raid conducted by brave Iraqi AND U.S. forces.

Thank God for their courage to carry out the mission that saved Douglas Wood.