John McCarthy, the man on the right, was born on the 27th November 1966, he is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster and is one of the victims of the Lebanon hostage crisis, which took place between 1982 and 1992. McCarthy was the UK’s longest-held hostage in Lebanon where he was held for more than five years, or 1,963 days, after being kidnapped by Islamic Jihad terrorists. Whilst in captivity he shared a cell with the Irish hostage Brian Keenan (not portrayed here). Throughout his imprisonment, his girlfriend Jill Morell, also a journalist, actively campaigned for his release.
Terry Waite, the man in the pinstriped suit, was born 31st May 1939, he is an English humanitarian and author. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon ro try to secure the release of four hostages including John McCarthy. Instead he himself was kidnapped and held captive from 1987-1991.
He went to Beirut on the 12 January 1987 with the intention of negotiating with the Jihadists which were holding the men and on the 20th January, he agreed to meet the captors and was promised a safe chance to visit them. Instead, they took him captive, where he remained for 1,763 days, the first four years of which were spent in solitary confinement. He was finally released on the 18th November 1991.
John McCarthy and Jill Morrel wrote a memoir called Some Other Rainbow.
Terry Waite wrote an account of his captivity in his book Taken on Trust.
Here we see them as they were reunited to celebrate their release anniversary on the 18th November.
Sue MacGregor talks to the Beirut hostages John McCarthy and Terry Waite.