‘Flight 149: Hostage of War': The staggering story of 400 people taken hostage by Saddam Hussein's forces –and the cover up that followed
Governments lie all the time. At the centre of staggering documentary Flight 149: Hostage of War (Sky Documentaries, available on demand) is a massive lie compounded by a cover-up: that the 400 passengers and crew of British Airways Flight 149, who were taken hostage by Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces 35 years ago, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Iran executes three prisoners accused of spying for Israel
Iran executed three more prisoners for allegedly spying for Israel on Wednesday, the latest hangings connected to the country's war with Israel. The hangings happened in Urmia Prison in Iran's West Azerbaijan province, the country's most north-west province, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. IRNA said Iran's judiciary claimed the men had been accused of bringing 'assassination equipment' into the country. Iran has carried out several hangings during its war with Israel, sparking fears from activists that it could conduct a wave of executions after the conflict ended. Iran identified the three men executed as Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul. People began to return to their normal lives as a ceasefire with Israel appeared to be holding (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) Amnesty International had previously raised concerns that the men could be executed. Wednesday's executions bring the total number of hangings for espionage around the war up to six since June 16. Activists fear more people will be executed, particularly after Iran's theocracy issued a deadline for people to turn themselves in over spying. People in Iran, meanwhile, began trying to return to their normal lives as a shaky ceasefire with Israel, negotiated by US President Donald Trump, appeared to be holding. State media described heavy traffic around the Caspian Sea area and other rural areas outside of the capital, Tehran, as people began returning to the city. Tehran experienced intense Israeli airstrikes throughout the war, including those that targeted Iran's top military leadership and other sites associated with its ruling theocracy.
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Irish Independent
‘Flight 149: Hostage of War': The staggering story of 400 people taken hostage by Saddam Hussein's forces –and the cover up that followed
Governments lie all the time. At the centre of staggering documentary Flight 149: Hostage of War (Sky Documentaries, available on demand) is a massive lie compounded by a cover-up: that the 400 passengers and crew of British Airways Flight 149, who were taken hostage by Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces 35 years ago, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sunday World
06-06-2025
- Sunday World
Irish wife of man jailed in Iraq for four years was ‘numb with shock' after release
'I got a little advance warning of his release and I was numb with shock as it was so unexpected.' The Irish wife of Robert Pether who was released from an Iraqi jail last night has revealed how she was numb with shock when told the news The couple live in Elphin county Roscommon and Robert was locked up four years ago after being caught up in a dispute between his employers and the Iraqi government but is now out on bail. His wife Desree told the Sunday World, 'I got a little advance warning of his release and I was numb with shock as it was so unexpected.' Robert Pether News in 90 Seconds - 6th June 2025 'He called me from his lawyers phone late last night and only then did I really believe it. It was a video call and he looked so ill he was barely recognizable. 'I hadn't seen him in weeks because he was too weak to take calls and we had been correspnding solely by email' As part of his bail conditions Robert has to remain in Iraq and Desree's efforts to address that have been delayed. 'The Muslim festival of Eid has just begun and nothing gets done for a week so we just have to wait, but having waited four years to get this far we'll manage that 'He needs to get home for medical help so we'll battle on'. Tanáiste Simon Harris pleaded Roberts case in a meeting with Iraqi officials last month and Desree said: 'To be fair the government here have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help'
