they had been held hostages along with the two in the same place and by the same group. Marie-Jeanne-, Ovidiu and Sorin mentioned this was the reason why they would not provide more details on their days in captivity. This is also why they said more details could jeopardize more lives. she had been in captivity along with the two and this was the reason why their release made her happiest than ever. The journalist working for Prima TV station mentioned that while in captivity Florence Aubenas was like some older sister to her, as she was most powerful human Marie-Jeanne had ever known. She said: " She the cleverest, the most powerful and kindest person I have ever known in this life. Talking to Florence Aubenas made us brave and kept us alive. Had she not been there, we would have had severe nervous breakdowns. Florence Aubenas told me that she had been to Timisoara to report on what was going on in Romania at that time. She told me she had been in Africa, in Rwanda and many other places. We even talked about what was going on in Romanian politics, about what had happened since the Revolution up to the present. We talked about what was going on in Iraq." Marie-Jeanne added that Florence had been treated the same as the Romanian journalists. there had been no other female hostages there, except for her and Florence Aubenas. The Romanian journalist also apologized to Florence's sister to whom she had told nothing lest she should jeopardize the French journalist: " I think it was better this way, for now she is free." "This is the moment we've been waiting for" Ovidiu Ohanesian confirmed as well what Marie-Jeanne said: "We were together This is the moment we've been waiting for a very long time so that to say something. This is unbelievable! I am very happy and I am looking forward to seeing her." Kidnappers' warning Sorin Miscoci mentioned: "Florence and her interpreter stayed with us. This was the reason why we couldn't talk. This was our greatest moral problem". He said that when they were set free the kidnappers told them not to say they had been held hostages in the same place with Florence and Hussein or they would be killed. The cameraman working for Prima TV station said: "I didn't want to give more details for we would have jeopardized Florence and Hussein. The kidnappers told us not to talk about them or we would get killed." But Miscoci said he was happy that the two were freed: "her release is the best thing I have taken up during meetings with the press. God helped us. Now we are calm and we can talk." He added that he and his two colleagues would meet with Florence Aubenas in a country different from France when the French journalist contacted them. Miscoci concluded: " We have our stories and deals."

George TARATA