Storm as freed sailors sell stories to media

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - The Defence Ministry came under fire on Sunday for allowing 15 sailors and marines held by Iran for 13 days to sell their stories to the media.

The ministry said it had waived rules barring serving military personnel from selling their stories because of huge public interest in the case. "These are considered to be exceptional circumstances," a ministry spokeswoman said.

Some popular British newspapers pay people for their sensational stories to boost sales. The spokeswoman said the 15 would be able to keep fees which press reports estimated could total as much as 250,000 pounds.

The 15 were freed last Thursday after being seized by Iranian forces in the Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iraq and Iran. Iran said they were detained for entering its waters illegally. Britain said they were in Iraqi waters.

Several of the sailors and marines, particularly the only woman among them, Faye Turney, became well known after they were shown repeatedly on Iranian television during the standoff.

On their return to Britain, the sailors and marines said they were blindfolded, bound, kept in isolation and told they faced up to seven years in jail.

William Hague, foreign affairs spokesman of the Conservative Party, said the decision to let the 15 sell their stories set an important precedent and the Conservatives would raise questions about it when parliament re-opened on April 16.

He said the armed forces would gradually lose dignity and respect if military personnel were allowed to sell their stories whenever they had been in a difficult situation.