Female NYT Journalist Details Graphic Libyan Captivity: Groped ‘Every Inch of My Body’
- Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:04am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
It was a harrowing experience that included multiple sexual assaults and signs of imminent death. On Tuesday, after being freed, four New York Times journalists recounted their six-day captivity in Libya at the hands of pro-Gadhafi forces. And the details, which also include threats of decapitation, are shocking.
The four journalists captured and released in Libya. From left, photographer Lynsey Addario, reporter Stephen Farrell, photographer Tyler Hicks, and Beirut bureau chief Anthony Shadid.
The journalists are Anthony Shadid, The Times’s Beirut bureau chief and a two-time Pulitzer-prize winning foreign correspondent; two photographers, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario, who have extensive experience in war zones; and a reporter and videographer, and Stephen Farrell, who in 2009 was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan and was rescued by British commandos.
After being stopped at a checkpoint near the city of Ajdabiya last Tuesday, the four journalists immediately knew they were in trouble. Hicks tried to get the driver to go straight through, but to no avail. Quickly, the driver and the journalists were yanked out of the car. That’s when the dust came alive, spitting up sand as rebels began firing on their location. Shortly after, the beatings and the death threats started.
“I heard in Arabic, ‘Shoot them,’” Shadid recalled to the Times. “And we all thought it was over.”
But Someone stepped in. “One of the others said: ‘No, they’re American. We can’t shoot them,’” Hicks said. That’s when the soldiers turned their attention to the lone female in the group, photographer Lynsey Addario.
A soldier quickly grabbed her shoes, removed the laces, and bound her ankles. He punched her in the face. He laughed.
Lynsey Addario, who was sexually assaulted in Libya.
“Then I started crying,” she said. “And he was laughing more.” Then came the sexual assault. The man grabbed her breasts, the first of many advances.
“There was a lot of groping,” she said. “Every man who came in contact with us basically felt every inch of my body short of what was under my clothes.”
When the soldiers finally decided to move the group from the bullet-ridden checkpoint, the threats began anew. Hicks said one man promised to decapitate him. Another continued stroking Addario while assuring her she would die.
“He was caressing my head in this sick way, this tender way, saying: ‘You’re going to die tonight. You’re going to die tonight,’” she said.
Addario and her counterparts were eventually turned over to Libyan defense officials. But not before experiencing more rifle butts to the back. On Monday, they were freed. On Tuesday, we hear their account.
Bill Keller, the executive editor of the Times, rejoiced. “Because of the volatile situation in Libya, we’ve kept our enthusiasm and comments in check until they were out of the country,” he said, “but now feels like a moment for celebration.”
Read about the entire ordeal from the New York Times.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 688 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 537 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 469 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 374 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 334 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 308 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 316 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 218 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 308 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (150)
Ken
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:47amYou are all indeed, lucky to be alive. And the female can feel lucky that she wasn’t disrobed and brutally raped. She may want to consider another profession.
Report Post »mill
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:37pmTrue~~ when you place yourself in these positions, the laws of where you normally live do NOTNOTNOT apply…think twice.\
They’re not going to look at you girls and say…oh they’re American/french etc girlies, lets be nice..BULL POCKY..when you place yourself in these posiitons, you are lucky to come out alive.
SO DON’T COMPLAIN…YOU LADIES THAT DO THIS GET NO SYMPATHY FROM ME.
thermonator
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:51pmAmen!
Report Post »…..you are not in Kansas anymore toto…
JoeInMichigan
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:46amShe was asking for it – no head covering.
“When among barbarians, do as the barbarians do”.
Report Post »—-JoeInMichigan’s great,great,great,great,great,great grandfather.
Mainer forever
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:46amThey were just showing her how peaceful and tolerant they are ….ya know…religion of “peace”
Report Post »LarryofArabia
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:44amThis harkens thoughts of what the treatment of women must have been like around 100,000 BC. But no – it’s March 2011. These animals walk upright and are bi-pedal. It’s not logical how people can continue to treat other people this way. I think that it’s no coincedence that evil lives where it does and continues to manifest itself from one genration to the next. But hey, they say that intellegence skips a generation or two so they’re kids will probably be sharp as tacks and act like rational human beings. Not likely but we can only pray. It makes me sick to think they are breathing my air.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:03pmKeep in mind Larry, that our TSA does exactly the same thing, and not a one of us has risen up against this to end it.
Report Post »M-Theory
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 5:50pmSpeak for yourself Ghost…I have written letters to my Congressfolk (to no avail of course), I also haven’t flown since the X-ray machines were instituted. It’s inconvenient and caused me a 1800 mile round-trip driving Thanksgiving weekend (four days on the road and 1 day visiting), but I didn’t just accept it without making a noise. Did you?
Report Post »tifosa
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 6:51amGHOSTOFWASHINGTON, it says it all that you consider the TSA patdown “exactly the same thing.”
Report Post »Buck_Ofama
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:44amLets see if I have this right. Lynsey is being held captive at gun point in a foreign country and is being felt up by an armed stranger who is caressing her neck and the way he is caressing her is sick?!? Did I miss something? If he was caressing her in a caring way that would be okay?
What does this idiot expect? That everywhere there are neutered men like we have in America?
Hmmm…NYT…..Manhattan….sicko losers (I mean Yankee fans). Maybe she is used to being felt up by armed losers when she goes to “Hard Liquor and Handgun Night at THE New Yankee Stadium”.
Report Post »nappy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:44amOH.. they groped you .. now THAT’s the story?
DOn’t go there. We don’t believe anything the NYT prints anyway. So you could have done the job from your desk you idiot.
Report Post »Mascoma
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:43amThey’ve been pigs over in there for 2000+ years and will continue to be untill Jesus comes back. As far as you ladies who thing your imune to such things NOT, They don’t give a hill of bean about you. You are less than a dog to them. A dog is more valuable because you can eat a dog. They would just as soon kill you as to look at you.
Report Post »pennswoods
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:40amWhere are the feminists when this happens? They never comment on Islamic violence and abuse of women. Do Western female reporters really think their passports will protect themselves from these Musilm pigs?
Report Post »Hisemiester
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:39amWhat makes these American journalists [idiots] think they are safe no matter where they are and how they report? She along with her group can be thankful they were not killed. If I were a Libyan and I came across an American, any American, I would kill them. America has bombed their country and is bombing it again. To all the Americans who voted for this demon Obama. I hope you are satisfied. He is destroying your nation and it appears a majority of people are good with that. Where/who is this rogue nation [USA] going to attack next?
Report Post »maryslittlelamb
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:25am@hisemeister
Report Post »“…and it appears a majority of people are good with that.”
————————————————————————-
You hit everything spot on. Do note, however, the important word in the quote above is “appears”. Actually, we are the 80% and they are the 20%, they just rant and rave louder than we do. We, on the other hand, quietly prepare to protect and defend our homes and families. Kinda gives me a warm feeling inside.
expatinontariocanada
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:36amDude, look in the mirror and see PORKY PIG! oink, oink, oink!
Report Post »ellietoo
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:35amWould you want to send your child over there to fight for these people? They are not even civilized. Americans have grown up in a Christian nation where people mostly watch out for each other. Even if our citizens are not believers they benefit from the culture of Christianity. In Muslim nations they are not taught to respect human dignity. They will follow a dictator because he lets them rape and steal. They will follow Islamic leaders because they allow they allow them to treat women like animals. We need to get out of the middle east and drill our own oil! Send the environmentalists packing! We have enriched our enemies who want to kill us when we have our own oil! It’s insanity!
Report Post »maryslittlelamb
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:05am@ellietoo
“Even if our citizens are not believers they benefit from the culture of Christianity.”
Ellie, you said a mouthful there! Having been raised in an atheist household, for many years I didn’t understand the value of religion in general or the merits of Christianity in particular. (Altho, unlike Madalyn Murray Ohair I did see the value of keeping my mouth shut about my unorthodox views.) Time has disabused me of my ignorance and even tho I am still not a church-goer I stand shoulder to shoulder with those who would decry the bashing of Christianity. These days I call myself a Secular Christian.
Report Post »ginger100
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:34amOh great idea, bring sharia law here so we can have a bunch of sexually repressed religious kooks grope women in this country. God, check, Guns, check, let’s roll
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:32amSorry… I really don’t have any sympathy for a woman who will put herself into that situation. The war zone is no place for reporters, especially women.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:31amPro-Gadhafi or anti-Gadhafi, women can expect the same treatment from either side… unless they need your help with something. As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum muslims.
Report Post »Teapartywoman
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:30amAll the countries in the middle east have no idea what freedom is even if it was right in front of them. I can think of only one and that one is in great danger.
Report Post »77Patriots
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:29amliberal = stupid in a fatal way
Report Post »jackeric61
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:27amThere work is dangerous when in a war zone, women and men make the choice to be there and must understand the chances of meeting people that have no regard for human life because theirs can be snuffed out at any moment. This is a war no matter what Washington says and as such being an American or reporter means nothing to people involved in war. They were lucky this time maybe not so lucky next time.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:23amstay your dumb liberal loony ass out of muslin countries , your lucky to be alive today
Report Post »HuskerVet
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:41amExactly! As well, Nylon, Polyester and 100% Cotton countries are equally dangerous…
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:34pm@HuskerVet
Report Post »Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:41am
Exactly! As well, Nylon, Polyester and 100% Cotton countries are equally dangerous…
*******************************
But Silk is Splendor!
Axeman4
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:22amGet out of Libya! Stop. Let the men report.
Report Post »ADNIL
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:21amIt‘s time to bring them all home and stop trying to be the world’s policeman. They all hate us any how……
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:55amwe shouldn’t be there..thats for sure.
Report Post »TheCelt
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:20amWhy are we there?
Report Post »Teapartywoman
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:27amGreat question, I feel we are there to help the Muslum Brotherhood to take power and yes we are helping the true evil of our times.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:40amwe shouldn’t be there.
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 2:15pmAl Qaeda must be laughing their butts off right now.
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:29pmWhy are we there?
Report Post »*************************
Because Hillary got tired of hearing the Wimp & Weakness jokes and set a fire under him.
AmeriCat
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 8:54amTo help the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda,
as all dictators in the Middle East are deposed,
in preparation for The Caliphate.
Report Post »hologram5
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:13amAnd Oblunder supports these types of animals. Nice. I wonder how Moooshell feels about being treated like an object?
Report Post »marine249
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:48pmmy asked me why the king walk off a plane
with the oldest kid and the queen alway walks
behind the king. why do they not walk together
with ths kids behind.
my ans. muslim do as they do
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:10amThey are just pure sick! (Not the reporters)
Report Post »paulamadden
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:09amIf you go to a country that treats women like farm animals, then you really should be armed. There’s just no safe way for women to travel in those countries.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:33amAt last! A country that Moocelle can be proud of!
Report Post »stephenmarkovich
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:54amCant sue can you?
Report Post »Timsincali
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:20amWhat does any white woman expect when she sojourns amongst animals. Look at it like this….
If you walk around nude in the Kalahari Desert, would you expect to survive?
1952
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:26amThis is a country whose religion practices peace and love. They were just showing you love.
I would never condone my daughter going into a situation like that. Goes to show you that all people are NOT alike… all cultures are NOT alike… therefore, how can we have “one world government” when all cultures are so damned different?
chickenlittle
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:27amIf these journalists had been from Newsmax, their liberal editors wouldn’t even have publicized the story. When is the NY Times gonna get realistic about the type of animals they are dealing with and stop trying to be PC about their reporting? Doesn’t fit their cause does it? That said, it is good that they were released, but it could have ended badly. Were these the “ foreign journalist human shields” they are using to prevent air attacks?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:31am@TimSInCali ~
You think she volunteered to go? She has an assignment desk where she gets her ASSIGNMENTS. I don’t mean to talk down to you. My first husband grew up in the news business — radio, television, and newspapers; and I helped him with his television coverage and later worked for a newspaper after he died.
They are given their assignments. They just don’t volunteer (unless they’re nuts).
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:35amYup Ghost, PC will be the death of us all…….I don’t participate, I’m an equal opportunity offender.
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:35amSeriously….what did she think was going to happen?
When people leave the US, they enter a completly different planet. They take that for granted
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:36am@Showtime
Yes, ultimately she did volunteer. Her employment isn’t forced on her, she has a choice about whether she wishes to work for a company that places her in grave danger, or not. Free will. She has it.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:46amThings are out of control over there. And it wouldnt matter which side they encountered. Remember the mass rape of the reporter by the “freedom loving” protestors in Egypt? There is a darkness that is flexing its muscles in this world. We must prepare spiritually and physically.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:10pmNow she has something to fantasize about. Stupid libs.
keaton
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:22pmI think the job of war correspondant is a good fit for Candy Crowley!
Report Post »rgranger
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:26pmLIBYAN ? Well that is not nearly as interesting as when I thought that it read, “LESBIAN!” But then I am on pain meds :)
Report Post »marine249
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:35pmKEATON
Report Post »or maybe Madcow for msmbc
one look at her would send those rag heads running
the_zazzy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 1:02pmThey should send Helen Thomas in there. I guarantee there would be no assault on her…of course she may join them in fighting our side??
Report Post »White Ninja
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 1:30pm@ MTNCLIMBERJIM
Are you freaking kidding me? Did you go to the Nir Rosen school of sexual assault commentary?
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 1:36pmI mentioned, last week, how Lynsey would be sexually molested by those peace-loving muslims and it looks like I was totally spot on. They are evil animals.
Report Post »I knew an Iraqi, in college, who told me he worked in an asylum. He said he had “molested the looneys.” Needless to say, I didn’t hang around him much longer.
gofigureinternational
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 2:24pmGhost and 1952…Spot on guys-or ladies. The political correctness continues to crack our very foundation in this country. Those who believe a woman (at least the vast majority) can do anything a man can do (physically) just do not live in reality. Not to take away from women, if the continuing procreation of the human race depended on men going through labor, we would likely be doomed as well. There are limitations in both sexes in physical abilities, emotional abilities, etc., etc. That whole Women are from Mars/Men from Venus thing to a degree. It should not be sexist to point out the obvious. It doesn’t make one sex superior or inferior to another. However, until as Americans we are O.K. watching a woman be brutally raped or beheaded on camera (God forbid we ever get to that callousness), then we should use extreme caution in where they are placed, be that reporters or soldiers. Additionally, the quicker the far left figure out that it is not one world, as the late Paul Harvey used to state, the better. We are dealing with Evil and it is growing in strength and numbers as our knuckle dragging politicians bicker and keep everyone distracted. As for the one world government thing, that is likely why FAR left liberals like Cass Sunstein point out that 20-30 Million Americans would likely have to “Necessarily” go away. If a NWO ever happens, does anyone think that it would be America running it or run under our rules? Anyone who believes in Freedom would be re-educated or “go away” as political dissidents do in China, Iran, Etc. Meanwhile we continue to let the enemy (radical Islam) continue to pour into our Country via uncontrolled borders. Everyone still believe there is no agenda? We are headed towards trouble at hyper speed!
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 3:31pmThe NYT sent her there and is responsible. But she is also responsible for going where she shouldn’t have gone, into a war zone. WAR IS HELL.
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:20pmAnd this a group who believe in their { religion } ? Sorry to say, it is NOTHING like the Judeo-Christian religion, which believes it’s a sin to treat a woman like this, whether you agree with her beliefs or not!
Report Post »Will our LSM ever realize that all nations, are not equal in their respect of basic human rights. Libya has been known as a terrorist nation for enough generations, that very few, raised up there would care HOW an American woman expected to be treated is pretty well a “Given” . We need to keep our media personnell out of areas where battles are going on!
NeoFan
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:35amThis is a complete work of fiction. There were no tea party personnel in Libya at the time and we all know the peace loving people of Libya that have been Lionized by the NYT from the time of the Lockerbie and Berlin bombings would never have done something like this. Just take a look at the coverage over the years from the NYT in favor of Libya and against Reagan and other American leaders of course with the glaring exception of Bill Clinton and BO.
Report Post »tifosa
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 7:10amThe fact that this story was presented this way, when other news outlets gave the WHOLE story, is telling regarding the editors. The comments from the blaze readers speak for themselves.
Report Post »