British captives shown on Iranian TV

03/28/2007

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- The female British sailor detained by Iran along with 14 male sailors and marines in the Persian Gulf last week said her crew "trespassed" in Iranian waters, in comments broadcast Wednesday on Iranian television.

"Obviously we trespassed into their waters," detainee Faye Turney said in video broadcast by Alalam, an Iranian Arabic language network.

"They were very friendly, very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we'd been arrested. There was no aggression, no hurt, no harm. They were very, very compassionate," Turney said.

It was not known when the videotape was shot, or whether Turney, 26, was able to speak freely, since she is being held against her will.

Turney -- who holds the rank of leading seaman, roughly equivalent to a petty officer first class in the U.S. Navy -- appeared to be in good physical condition and wore a black scarf to cover her hair. (Read a profile of Faye Turney)

In other scenes, she was shown smoking a cigarette as she spoke with someone off camera.

A spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office said it was "completely unacceptable for these pictures to be shown on television, given the potential distress to their [the sailors'] families."

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was "very concerned about these pictures and any indication of pressure on or coercion of our personnel who were carrying out a routine operation in accordance with international law and under a United Nations resolution in support of the Iraqi government."

Alalam also broadcast video showing some of the other British detainees eating with Turney. All appeared healthy and unharmed. It was not known when that video was taken, either. (Watch Iranian video of other British captives )

Earlier Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told CNN that Turney would be released soon, possibly Wednesday or Thursday. (Watch as Iran says it's prepared to free woman )

Letter also released

Iran also released a letter it said was written by Turney to her parents. The state-run news agency reported the letter was handed to the British ambassador to Iran in Tehran on Wednesday.

"We were out in the boats when we were arrested by Iranian forces as we had apparently gone into Iranian waters. I wish we hadn't because then I'd be home with you all right now. I am so sorry we did, because I know we wouldn't be here now if we hadn't," the letter said.

CNN cannot confirm that Turney wrote the letter or, if she did, whether she was forced to write it under duress.

The television station broadcast video of what appeared to be a handwritten letter, signed "Faye."

"I want you all to know that I am well and safe. I am being well looked after. I am fed 3 meals a day and have a constant supply of fluids," the letter said.

The 15 British service members were seized March 23 in the Persian Gulf by Iranian forces who claimed the British patrol boats had ventured into Iranian territorial waters.

Britain has said the sailors and marines were operating patrols in Iraqi waters.

Earlier Wednesday, Beckett announced that Britain would cut off all bilateral diplomatic business with Tehran -- excluding discussions about the detainees -- until they were released.

Alaedin Boroujerdi, a member of the Iranian parliament and head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, warned Britain that "the days of bullying are over."

"Threats of disrupting trade and economic relations will only make matters worse and more complicated," he told the Fars News Agency.

Beckett also said the Iranian government was still refusing to give British officials information on exactly where the Britons were being held and was denying consular access to them.

Iranian officials said they will allow British diplomats to see the detainees once an investigation into the matter is completed.

Coordinates show boat in Iraqi waters

Earlier, the British Ministry of Defense gave what it said was proof that the British ship carrying the sailors and marines never strayed into Iranian waters.

British Vice Adm. Charles Style said the global positioning system on the ship proves the vessel was "clearly" 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters and that the boat was "ambushed" by the Iranian forces.

Iran insists the ship was inside its territorial waters and, according to Style, provided a map with coordinates on Saturday in attempts to prove the point.

Blair said those coordinates actually "turned out to confirm they were in Iraqi waters," and Iraq has supported that position.

Iran on Wednesday provided different coordinates that placed the vessel inside Iranian waters.

The "change of coordinates," Style said, "is hard to legitimate."

Even if the ship had somehow strayed into Iranian waters, Beckett said, "under international law, warships have sovereign immunity in the territorial sea of other states."

"The very most Iran would've been entitled to do if they considered our boats were breaching the rules on innocent passage would've been to require the ship to leave their territorial waters immediately," the foreign secretary explained.

Diplomatic efforts under way

President Bush, in a previously scheduled video teleconference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said he fully supports Blair and Britain in the matter, according to deputy White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

Blair said his country is in contact with "everyone in Europe, NATO, the United Nations and the allies out in the Gulf region" to increase pressure on the Iranian government.

The European Union backed Britain. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country is the bloc's president, said the EU extended its "absolute support and solidarity."

Blair said he had been in talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said Wednesday Iran may allow Turkish diplomats access to the 15 Britons, according to CNN Turk.

Erdogan is attending a meeting of the Arab League in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

"Expect development anytime soon," Erdogan said after meeting with Iran's foreign minister.