Briton Tells of Riot by ‘Human Shields’
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Westerners held as “human shields” at an Iraqi armaments factory rioted against mistreatment by sadistic guards and a starvation diet, one of the men said Tuesday just before flying to freedom from Baghdad.
“We tore down fences, broke all the windows and daubed anti-Saddam (Iraqi President Saddam Hussein) slogans on the walls,” said Briton Jim Thomson.
The 50-year-old Thomson, who was released with 32 other Britons Tuesday on health grounds, said the riot broke out Sept. 29 and that the 15 detainees--American, British, Japanese, German and French--were forced into their rooms at gunpoint by guards after the protest. No shots were fired and no one was injured.
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