the Romanian journalists kidnapped had shared the same dungeon with Florence. The four journalists together with the two Iraqis Munaf and Hanun were hostages of the same group. This is the secret that Marie-Jeanne, Ovidiu and Sorin decided to keep the minute they were set free. This is why they have refused to provide more details on their captivity and invoked moral pretexts. Paris authorities might have known about this for some time. Perhaps this is the reason why in mid April France hosted several demonstrations of solidarity with the journalists kidnapped in Iraq. Portraits of Marie-Jeanne, Ovidiu and Miscoci were displayed in central Paris, along with those of Florence and her Iraqi guide. Similar demonstrations took place in Bucharest, where posters showing the French journalist were displayed. Another element to prove that it was known that the four journalists were held in the same place is the optimism of French authorities right after the Romanian journalists had been set free. In one of her interviews, Marie-Jeanne Ion said almost by mistake that that one more female had been with them ("We the girls were allowed to go to the toilet more often.") But during the news conference the three Romanian journalists wouldn't give more details on. They said they were keeping the secret because of moral reasons. They only said that during their captivity their eyes were covered. They refused to say if they had heard people held hostage in the same place. Sorin Miscoci said at that time: "Please understand this! Please have some more patience! We are begging you to make no more speculations on any name or nationality, on nothing! Let's hope all of us will soon rejoice!" And there was also Romanian President Traian Basescu who caused suspicion. In his Cotroceni news conference he was asked if he knew anything about Aubenas. Basescu said: " I am begging you to leave things the way they are, for they are as I have been telling it. I have been very careful not to reach contradictions in my presentation. Still maybe some things don't go together. You must know that those missing points are points that can't be told." Yesterday after learning that French journalist Florence Aubenas was set free, Marie-Jeanne, Ovidiu and Sorin said only few obstacles were left and promised to tell some provide more details soon.

Marius BATCA