British Army Blasts Rescued Times Reporter

The death of British soldier during the rescue of a New York Times reporter has British Army brass up in arms, the Telegraph reports. Corporal John Harrison and interpreter Sultan Munadi died early yesterday in an area of Afghanistan journalist Stephen Farrell had been cautioned about. “When you look at the number of warnings this person had it makes you really wonder whether he was worth rescuing,” says a military source.

Afghan officials told Farrell, a British citizen, that visiting the Kunduz region was unwise because of the Taliban presence. The rescue operation proceeded within days of his abduction because he was believed to be in imminent danger. “Stephen Farrell would be wise not to crow too loudly about his experience because his incompetence has cost a life,” a former British special-forces officer says. (More Stephen Farrell stories.)