To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (380896 ) 3/28/2003 12:56:03 PM From: Emile Vidrine Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 769667 US troops crack Israeli spy ring shadowing US forces in Iraq. By United Press International U.S. troops in Iraq detained two Israeli journalists and Portuguese colleague on suspicion of espionage and beat one of them, relatives said Friday. They were released after 48 hours. The journalists, Dan Scemama, of Channel One Television and Boaz Bismuth of the Yedioth Aharonoth entered Iraq without proper accreditation. Scemama said earlier this week he was denied accreditation because he represented Israeli television. The two teamed up with the Portuguese TV reporter, rented a jeep, and entered Iraq on their own, driving alongside American convoys. They phoned in reports based on conversations with U.S. troops and Iraqis. Scemama's girlfriend, Shlomit Yarkoni, said the journalists were forced to stop Tuesday, beside six tanks, because of sandstorms. "They couldn't see the road... [and] the Americans advised them not to move because they would not be identified in the dust and... orders to shoot at almost anything that moves." Early Wednesday, soldiers woke them up at gunpoint, and accused them of espionage. The reporters were told to pick up their shirts and let down their pants to prove they were not carrying bombs. Scemama's sister, Dina Harel, told UPI they were told to drop to the sand, face down. They were later kept in a closed jeep for 36 hours. The Portuguese journalist asked to phone home and was beaten, the two said. His ribs were broken and he is now hospitalized. Yedioth Aharonoth, concerned about loss of contact with the journalists, had asked the Pentagon to help find them. After 48 hours, a helicopter flew the reporters to an American military base outside of Iraq, where they were released and given their phones back. Their rented jeep was impounded, Harel said.