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WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2009 5
Journalist wants to ‘relax’ with family after Iran prison ordeal
Murder charge for soldier
Just happy to be free
A US soldier who allegedly spotlight on mental health
sprayed his colleagues with concerns for US service
lethal gunfire at an members who are serving
American base in Baghdad multiple tours of duty in
has been charged with five combat zones like Iraq of
counts of murder and one Afghanistan.
of assault. Due to concerns over the
US-born reporter Roxana rity charges in Iran and came Sergeant John M Russell, state of Russell’s mental
Saberi, who was freed from just weeks after US President who was due to leave Iraq health, his commanding
an Iranian jail, has said she Barack Obama proposed dia- soon, allegedly shot dead officer about a week earlier
has no immediate plans for logue with Tehran after three his colleagues at a mental had ordered that the
the future and for now decades of severed ties. health counselling clinic in soldier’s weapon be
merely wants to “relax” with Reza Saberi, the journalist’s sprawling Camp Liberty near confiscated and that he
her family. father, speaking separately to Baghdad’s international should go for counselling,
“At the moment I have no reporters, said the family was airport on Monday. the spokesman said.
plan, I want to be with my preparing to take her back to An army spokesman said However, details of the
family and relax,” Saberi said the United States. that Russell of the 54th incident, specifically how
yesterday, a day after walking “We are preparing for it. She Engineers Battalion based Russell, who was on his
free from jail. wants to relax for the next in Bamberg, Germany was third tour of Iraq had come
Saberi was released from one or two days, but we don’t charged with five counts of to acquire the second
prison after an Iranian court know how long it will take to murder and one charge of weapon that allowed him to
reduced her initial eight-year get back,” he said. aggravated assault. shoot his comrades, were
prison term, delivered on He said his daughter is also The case has thrown the still being investigated.
charges of spying for the “recovering now that she is
United States, to a two-year surrounded by her family
suspended sentence. and friends.”
Pope weighs in on peace
Saberi thanked those who He also said that Roxana was
helped secure her release. “not tortured” during her stay Pope Benedict XVI waded inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque
“I am very happy and thank- in the prison, but added that into the heart of the Middle compound, a site holy to
ful to all the people who she had still not fully related East conflict yesterday, calling Jews and Muslims.
helped me. I want to be with her experiences in prison. for the faithful to overcome “This sacred place serves as
my family... with my mother “She is telling us little by past discord and reiterating a stimulus, and also
and my father,” said Saberi. little about the jail experience. the Church’s commitment to challenges men and women
Saberi, 32, was arrested in The prison atmosphere is reconciliation with Jews. of goodwill to work to
January. Her eight-year jail pressurised and not good for “Here the path of the world’s overcome misunderstandings
sentence had caused deep anyone,” Saberi said. three great monotheistic and conflicts of the past and
concern in Washington and Obama welcomed Tehran’s religions meet, reminding us set out on the path of a
among human rights groups. “humanitarian” gesture in what they share in common,” sincere dialogue,” he said.
The sentence against her releasing Saberi. His Secretary Benedict said as he became Benedict later celebrated
was the harshest ever meted of State Hillary Clinton said she the first pope to visit the mass in Jerusalem's Valley
out to a dual national on secu- was “heartened” by the news. THANKFUL: Roxana Saberi waves to reporters yesterday Dome of the Rock shrine of Kidron.
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