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Another day, another chance for Iran to heap on the humiliation
Last updated at 15:07pm on 31.03.07Iran has earlier cranked up the propaganda war over the kidnapped sailors by contrasting their treatment with the plight of prisoners held by Britain and the United States in Iraq.
For the third day running Tehran issued a letter it claimed was from hostage Faye Turney - this time apparently complaining she had been "sacrificed" to UK and US policies.
Addressed "To British People", it added: "We hear and see on the news the way that prisoners are treated in Abu Ghraib and other jails by the British and American personnel, I have received total respect and faced no harm.
"It is now our time to ask our government to make a change to its oppressive behaviour towards other people."
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The latest letter that Iran claims was written by Faye Turney
The release of the hand-written note coincided with what the Iranians claimed was a video "confession" from Nathan Summers, one of the 15 sailors and Marines seized at the mouth of the Shattal-Arab waterway. The Iranians claim they were in Iran's waters.
Iranian state TV broadcast the clearly edited video which showed the 21-year-old sailor sitting alongside young mother Mrs Turney and Royal Marine Adam
Sperry, 22, in a carefully composed scene with the three filmed in front of a table bearing a bowl of fruit and floral display.
Their captors wished to show them looking relaxed and in their own clothes, continuing the "theme" of the first footage of the captives broadcast on Wednesday, when they were shown tucking into a meal in a bid to show how well they were being treated.
In the video, Royal Navy sailor Summers, from Hayle, Cornwall, appears to admit 'trespassing' into Iranian waters but the video displayed signs of editing, suggesting his words were being manipulated.
Looking relaxed and in his camouflage fatigues, he said: "I would like to apologise for entering your waters without permission. Since we have been arrested in Iran our treatment has been very friendly. We have not been harmed at all. They've looked after us really well."
The video had clearly been cut and edited between his reference to "trespass" and "apologise".
The new letter purportedly written by 25-year-old Mrs Turney, the mother of a three-year-old daughter, demonstrated even more obviously than the previous two how she is merely mouthing the words of the Iranians.
Captive: Leading seaman Faye Turney is displayed on Iranian TV during the hostage crisis
It again called for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. It said: "I am writing to you as a British service person who has been sent to Iraq, sacrificed due to the intervening policies of the Bush and Blair governments."
Her mention of Abu Ghraib refers to the Baghdad jail where Iraqi prisoners were abused.
Tony Blair expressed his "disgust" at Tehran's latest move as the international crisis entered its second week.
"I really don't know why the Iranian regime keep doing this," he said. '"All it does is enhance people's sense of disgust. Captured personnel being manipulated in this way doesn't fool anyone."
Gordon Brown, visiting British forces in Afghanistan, met a contingent from 42 Royal Marines Commando and said the Government was doing all it could to secure the release of their fellows.
He said: "The way Faye Turney was treated and the way others have been treated is totally inhumane, totally unacceptable."
In Iran, effigies of Mr Blair, dressed a pirate, were set ablaze and 60,000 soccer fans in Tehran's Azadi stadium chanted 'Death to England, death to England' before a domestic match kicked-off.
And Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying: "The British government should make an apology to Iran for intruding into Iranian territory."
The kidnapped British marine Nathan Summers during the broadcast on Arab TV
Hopes of a breakthrough had risen briefly after Iran appeared to drop demands for an apology and suggested it would free the captives if Britain guaranteed not to violate Iranian waters.
The development came in a formal note presented to the British embassy in Tehran but Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said: "There is nothing which suggests the Iranians are looking for a way out of this difficult situation."
The European Union have called for the immediate release of the hostages and warned of "appropriate measures" if Tehran does not comply.
It said all evidence clearly indicated the Britons were in Iraqi waters when seized and so the Iranian action "constitutes a clear breach of international law".
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he would try to speak to Mr Ahmadinejad to seek the release of the British captives.
Russia said the UN should hold an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the capture of the sailors.
If followed a watered-down UN statement which merely expressed "grave concern" at the plight of the Britons and fell short of Britain's call for their immediate hand-over.
Last night two further Marines were identified as being among those held. Joe Tindell, 21, from Shooters Hill, South London, serves in the Fleet Protection Group based near Helensburgh, Scotland. The third Marine was named as Marine Danny Masterton, 26, from Muirkirk, Ayrshire.
Reader views (12)
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For every successful SAS raid there must be two that end in complete failure (sometimes for the most ridiculous of reasons e.g. eating a dodgy can of processed cheese).
An SAS raid would be a suicidal enterprise that is likely to end if death all round. I'm pretty sure these hostages are being held in a deep bunker somewhere. If they're not then the revolutionary guards are less clever than they appear so far.
No, the answer is that we should begin a subtle blockade of Iran - call it interdiction if you prefer the Kennedy euphemism. It can begun quietly with long searches of ships, asking them to hold up etc. We can ratchet up the pressure gradually.
Of course I am assuming we are still capable of such action which under this government is perhaps doubtful.
- Louis Louis, London
The last thing we want is military action. Quite apart from the likelihood of getting some or all of our people killed, the Iranians might (with some justification) treat it as a declaration of war.
No, for once the government is doing something right. Gradually ratchet up the international diplomatic and financial pressure on Iran. There really isn't any other choice.
Also bear in mind that Ahmedinejad actually wants confrontation, to get his country to rally behind him and forget that his economic policies have been almost as catastrophic as Mugabe's. A measured non-military response might work extremely well and end with the toppling of the extremists by the Iranian people themselves.
- Nigel, London
I understand that in these circumstances the personnel are briefed that they are likely to be paraded in this way and instructed to say whatever the hostage-takers want, on the grounds that no-one with any sense will believe it anyway.
- Dave, Bath, UK
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