Thirteen years ago today.. the Observer journalist Farzad Bazoft walked out into the Baghdad dawn, to be hanged as a spy by the Hussein government..
This in spite of a call for clemency from Maggie Thatcher, and journalists around the world.
Y'see Farzad had been told of an explosion outside Baghdad.. hundreds killed in some sort of 'industrial accident' at a military base south of the city..
Being a reporter.. he hitched the first available ride towards the scene.. this happened to be with British nurse Daphne Parish..
They were both arrested..charged..and convicted of spying.. The explosion was at one of the many top secret military installations scattered about the countryside..
Maggie called the execution an 'act of barbarism'.. but didn't quite go so far as imposing further trade sanctions against Hussein and Co. .. the thought was that it would throw a wrench into any chance Daphne had to ever seeing light of day again..
As it turned out.. Daphne was released on the 16th of July 1990..
On the 2d August.. Hussein invaded Kuwait..
Lest we forget..