Kingston University student scoops interview with Somalian pirates
10:05am Saturday 13th December 2008 in Where I Live By David Lindsell
A third-year student journalist from Kingston has scooped the world's press and managed to get an interview with the Somali pirates who captured a supertanker.
Jamal Osman was commissioned by Channel 4 News to travel to the village of Eyl, home to the pirates that have captured the Syrius Star.
The gang is demanding a £10 million ransom to release the crew that includes two Britons. Jamal not only managed to get video footage of gang members making plans but also an interview with a pirate leader.
His excusive pictures appeared in a report on November 26 by Channel 4’s diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Rugman and they have been watched with interest around the world.
Jamal is originally from Somalia and it was this that gave him the edge with this special assignment. To get the footage he had to make contact with the pirates and that put him in considerable danger. “It was risky for me,” he acknowledged, “but it would have been far more dangerous for a Western journalist, in fact impossible.”
“Jamal shows what real dedication and hard work can achieve,” said his journalism professor Brian Cathcart. “The news world is extremely competitive, but he got out there and competed and he produced a scoop that many of the top foreign correspondents in the country must envy. "We are all delighted for him. And the best of it is, it really could not have happened to a nicer person.” To see his story click here http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/law_order/tanker+owners+likely+to+pay+up/2846852
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