Wood denies profiteering from hostage ordeal

Douglas Wood

CANBERRA - Douglas Wood has denied turning his hostage drama into a profit-making exercise and does not believe he should repay Australian taxpayers any costs associated with efforts to rescue him.

In an exclusive paid interview with the Ten Network last night, the freed Australian engineer told of hearing the executions of two Iraqis while blindfolded at a house during his 47 days in captivity in Iraq.

The 63-year-old, who was in Iraq for business purposes, also revealed he was tricked into his kidnappers' clutches while trying to land a lucrative new contract.

But Mr Wood dismissed suggestions he was turning his experience into a profit-making exercise.

"I don't feel like I'm an exploiter at all ... I'm the victim, proud and pleased to be released. I'm humble about the effort that was put in to get me released," he told Ten.

"I've lost a lot of money out of not being in Iraq.

"I'm willing to lose a lot of money by not going back to Iraq, partly because of my appreciation of what the Australian government and the taxpayers have put up."

Ten purchased the rights to the Wood interview after he returned to Australia following his rescue about a fortnight ago by Iraqi forces backed by US troops.

Reports of the amount Mr Wood received for the interview have varied between A$200,000 ($220,531) and A$400,000.

When news of the deal broke, Defence Minister Robert Hill said Mr Wood would not be expected to repay any of the cost of rescuing him, and he deserved to receive some payment for telling his story.

But Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown said at the time that he was troubled by the idea of Mr Wood being paid to tell his story.

There was "something slightly off about a huge cheque going to somebody who's been rescued out of that cauldron (and) who went there of their own free will", he said.

Mr Wood said during the interview that the executions of his two Iraqi assistants, who were taken hostage with him, were incredibly difficult to cope with.

He promised financial help for the families of the two men, saying he feels responsible for their deaths.

"We're going to give some money to the family and it doesn't substitute, it doesn't bring them back but it's the least I can do -- I will write a letter about how deeply sorry I am," he said.

He said he pretended to be asleep to avoid showing his captors he was distressed over the slayings.

"So the emotion is one, of a little bit, trying to hide from them and hiding is pretending to sleep as opposed to sleep and not blindfolded and told to watch," he said.
"So my emotion was more one to pretend you're asleep - that you didn't hear the gunshot."

Mr Wood also told how he used happy memories of his childhood in country Victoria to stay sane as people were murdered around him.

"I was conscious of trying to keep myself sane by exercising my mind, a replay of my life," he said.

"All the girls I have ever known, trying to count them, what were their names? My first tooth being pulled, my first blood nose ... playing footy with my friend Robert."

- AAP