Mustapha Karkouti
Encyclopedia
Mustapha Karkouti is a Syria
n born freelance journalist and media consultant, residing in London since the early 1970s.
in northern Syria
. He started as an agency journalist in the 1960s and went on to be a founding member of As-safir
, the Lebanese newspaper. As its foreign correspondent he was sent to London
in the early 1970s. In 1977 he met his wife and was married in 1978.
In 1993 he was elected President of the Foreign Press Association in London. Karkouti was a founding member of Arab-US Forum, and elected member of Chatham House
Council . He is a frequent guest on TV and radio talk shows, such as BBC News
' Dateline London
.
he was taken hostage in the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege
in London. The terrorists used him to communicate with the police and other hostages. He was released before the SAS
stormed the embassy.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n born freelance journalist and media consultant, residing in London since the early 1970s.
Personal and career background
He was born in LatakiaLatakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
in northern Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. He started as an agency journalist in the 1960s and went on to be a founding member of As-safir
As-Safir
As-Safir meaning The Ambassador, is a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper in Lebanon.It was first published on March 26, 1974 as an Arabic political daily....
, the Lebanese newspaper. As its foreign correspondent he was sent to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the early 1970s. In 1977 he met his wife and was married in 1978.
In 1993 he was elected President of the Foreign Press Association in London. Karkouti was a founding member of Arab-US Forum, and elected member of Chatham House
Chatham House
Chatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's leading...
Council . He is a frequent guest on TV and radio talk shows, such as BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
' Dateline London
Dateline London
Dateline London is a weekly news discussion programme shown on both BBC News and BBC World News. The programme, presented by Gavin Esler, with Nik Gowing and Lyse Doucet acting as relief presenters, features a roundtable panel of foreign and British journalists who discuss the week's top news...
.
Iranian Embassy Siege
Whilst arranging a trip to TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
he was taken hostage in the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege
Iranian Embassy Siege
The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington, London. The gunmen took 26 people hostage—mostly embassy staff, but several visitors and a police officer, who had been guarding the embassy, were also...
in London. The terrorists used him to communicate with the police and other hostages. He was released before the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
stormed the embassy.