RELIEF AS CREW RELEASED FROM LIBERIAN PRISON

THE Channel 4 television crew arrested in Liberia on accusations of spying have been released from jail.
The crew, including two Britons, a Sierre Leonean and a South African were arrested almost two weeks ago and had been refused bail.
The men, all working for London-based independent production company Insight News, are British director David Barrie, from London, Zimbabwe-born cameraman Tim Lambon, who has dual South African and British nationality, South African soundman Gugulakhe Radebe and award-winning Sierra Leonean film-maker Sorious Samura.
In a statement Channel Four said: “We welcome this latest news that the four men have been released by President Taylor. We have no further comment at this stage. At the moment our concern is solely for the well being of the men. Our main aim now is to reunite them with their families.”
Lawyers claimed the team was maltreated by security agents. Channel 4 said the men had suffered "mental abuse" while being held on Tuesday night at the headquarters of the National Security Agency, a criminal investigation unit under Taylor's personal control. When defence lawyers protested, the journalists were returned to Monrovia's central prison on the judge's orders.
US President Bill Clinton and South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela had urged the Liberian President to release the four.
Former US President, Jimmy Carter, wrote to the Liberian President, with whom he has long standing contacts, to ask for the men's release.
Liberian soccer star George Weah had offered to intervene to help secure the release of the four in his West African homeland.
Channel 4 strenuously insisted that the crew, who had already recorded an interview with the Liberian Defence Minister were valid journalists with official permission to work in country.