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British forces had launched earlier raid to free journalist
Joe Murphy, Political Editor10 Sep 2009
Special forces carried out an earlier raid to in a vain bid to rescue kidnapped journalist Stephen Farrell, it was revealed today.
When they got to the scene they found his Taliban captors had moved him hours earlier.
The failed mission was launched on Monday evening, 24 hours before the raid that freed him, and resulted in some militants being captured.
The haunting possibility is that it may have compromised the second raid, which left a paratrooper and Mr Farrell's Afghan interpreter dead, along with two civilians.
The first operation was said to have been within earshot of the hostages and their captors, who may have been alerted that the military were not waiting for diplomatic negotiations.
Military sources said it was a fact of war that intelligence could become quickly out of date.
“It shows the importance of acting immediately on intelligence when you have a chance,” said an insider.
It emerged that Foreign Secretary David Miliband approved the raid that freed Mr Farrell while away in Paris.
The disclosure raised yet more questions about whether the decision took enough account of diplomatic moves.
Recriminations were flying in some quarters. Critics claimed that negotiators were on the brink of a deal when the special forces went into action.
Downing Street said the key decisions were shaped by a Cobra (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) committee of civil servants, diplomats and military officials and passed to ministers for approval.
“The Prime Minister was consulted,” said Gordon Brown's spokesman.
“The final decision whether to go or not would have been made by the two Cabinet ministers.
“My clear understanding is that the decision-making process goes from Cobra to the Cabinet ministers, with the Prime Minister being consulted.”
However, Mr Miliband was in Paris at the start of a European tour on climate change. The Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth — ranked 22 in the Cabinet seniority table — is also thought to have been away from Whitehall.
It is understood that the raid was launched because of fears that Mr Farrell, 46, who holds joint British and Irish citizenship, would be moved into Pakistan and handed to an al Qaeda cell.
The No 10 spokesman said it was seen as the “best chance of protecting life” and Mr Farrell said he was being regularly moved around.
A source confirmed that the 1am raid was seen as a rare opportunity to act on intelligence.
Downing Street said Mr Brown did not order the raid but was consulted some time before a decision was made.
The Foreign Office refused to disclose exactly where Mr Miliband was but insisted he was “at all times in touch with his office”.
He was probably consulted at the British residence in Paris.
In Kabul, journalists criticised the Army over the death of translator Sultan Munadi, 34, who was shot during a fierce firefight.
Some senior Army officers are also angry the raid risked soldiers' lives for a journalist who they say ignored warnings from police and village elders not to venture into the Taliban-controlled area.
One senior Army source said: “When you look at the number of warnings this person had, it makes you really wonder whether he was worth rescuing, whether it was worth the cost of a soldier's life.”
• The UN-backed commission investigating fraud in Afghanistan's presidential election has thrown out ballots from 83 polling stations, all in areas with strong support for President Hamid Karzai.
Reader views (5)
Spare a thought for the innocent Afghan mother and her baby who were killed in that bungled operation.
They were the only ones not being paid to be there.
- Hakim Philby, London, 10/09/2009 20:15
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Whilst I have no rooted objection to troops being used to free hostages, the exercise of judgement in approving such an approach is critical. In this instance, having had one attempt to rescue fail, the mounting of a second attempt had obvious hazards attached. This is compounded by the fact that diplomatic measures by the Afghan authorities were allegedly close to succeeding. I think we need more of an explanation than we have so far been given.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 10/09/2009 16:44
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Looks like Brown has bungled this one in a vain attempt at a publicity coup to rival Jack Straw's scoop yesterday.
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland, 10/09/2009 16:01
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done now. the guy is free. it is a real shame that the brave Para died but this is once again being turned into another political agenda..........
- Jonny, London, 10/09/2009 15:52
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How many troops were at risk to release two hostage`s ??? it ok for people in Downing street saying "yes go ahead" they are not the lads on the ground who are at the sharp end
- Brummie, birmingham uk, 10/09/2009 15:48
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