A Frenchman presenting himself as an unofficial negotiator said that he was with two French reporters being held hostage in Iraq, raising hopes that the men may soon be freed. Philippe Brett said in a radio interview given by mobile telephone that he was currently in Iraq but would not say where exactly. When asked if he was was with Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper and Christian Chesnot of Radio France Internationale, both of whom were kidnapped August 20 along with their Syrian driver south of Baghdad, Brett told the Europe 1 station: “The response is yes.”Full Story