Iran created a new propaganda in retaliation to Blair’s demand of ‘unconditional release’ of the 25 year old mother with her 14 comrades.
Part of the propaganda was a hand written note which the Iranian diplomats claimed to be written by the abducted sailor calling for British troops to be withdrawn from Iraq.
Addressed to ‘representative of the House of Commons’, the one-page letter reads, ‘Isn’t it time for us to start withdrawing our forces from Iraq and let them determine their own future.’ It is signed ‘Faye Turney’ and dated March 27, three days ago.
It concedes the key issue in the present crisis, which she and her fellow hostages were in Iranian waters when they were seized, which Britain strongly denies - and stresses her captors ‘have looked after me well.’
The authorities are of the view that the write up has been written under pressure. Downing Street said,
It is cruel and callous to do this to someone in this position. To play games like this is a disgrace.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said,
We have not seen the letter but we have grave concerns about the circumstances in which it was prepared and issued. This blatant attempt to use Leading Seaman Turney for propaganda purposes is outrageous and cruel.
Tehran had said she would be freed after ‘confessing’ that her Navy boarding party had ‘trespassed’ in Iranian waters but it back-tracked on the pledge.
Hardline Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani accused the British Government of ‘arrogance’ and warned it to end its ‘fuss’ and ‘media campaign’.
Mr Blair vowed to ’step up the pressure’ on the Iranian regime and condemned the video footage of Mrs Turney as sheer ‘disgrace’.
Iranian TV broadcast what it claimed was evidence that the Navy boats had repeatedly violated its territorial waters - despite data which Britain insists shows the incident occurred 1.7 miles inside Iraqi nautical waters.
In the footage, lasting just five seconds, gunshots are heard and a helicopter hovers above inflatable boats in choppy seas. Iranian boats are shown cruising around with a couple of revolutionary guards shooting into the air.
The scene of Mrs Turney being compelled to read out a statement on Iranian TV approving her captors has also focused attention on the way today’s servicemen and women are ordered to conduct themselves if detained.
Conventionally they have been told to refuse to give anything other than name, rank and number. But now they are trained to cooperate with their captors if they believe their lives are at risk.
Iran’s decision to suspend the release of Mrs Turney distressed her family and those of the 14 other political pawns. It also reopened the debate as to whether women members of the Armed Forces should be put in the front line of battle.
