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Ali’s meeting with Saddam on Nov. 29, 1990, was open to the media. Ali sat patiently while Saddam praised himself for treating the hostages so well. Once he sensed an opening, Ali promised Saddam that he’d bring America “an honest account” of Iraq.
“I’m not going to let Muhammad Ali return to the US,” Saddam replied, “without having a number of the American citizens accompanying him.”
Ali got all 15. Once released, the men were filmed going into Ali’s modest hotel room, where an exhausted Ali sat on the foot of his bed. One by one, the former hostages thanked him. An emaciated older man named George Charchalis lightly touched Ali’s shoulder and said, “He’s our guy.”
On Dec. 2, 1990, Ali and the hostages flew out of Baghdad, headed for JFK. The men remained overwhelmed.
“You know, I thanked him,” said former hostage Bobby Anderson. “And he said, ‘Go home,’ be with my family . . . what a great guy.”
“I was just lucky enough, for some reason, to be on Muhammad Ali’s list,” said Harry Brill-Edwards.
“He’s a marvelous individual,” said Sergio Coletta. “Marvelous man.”
Ali was humbled. “They don’t owe me nothin’,” he said in Baghdad. “They don’t owe me nothin’.”
“I’m not going to let Muhammad Ali return to the US,” Saddam replied, “without having a number of the American citizens accompanying him.”
Ali got all 15. Once released, the men were filmed going into Ali’s modest hotel room, where an exhausted Ali sat on the foot of his bed. One by one, the former hostages thanked him. An emaciated older man named George Charchalis lightly touched Ali’s shoulder and said, “He’s our guy.”
On Dec. 2, 1990, Ali and the hostages flew out of Baghdad, headed for JFK. The men remained overwhelmed.
“You know, I thanked him,” said former hostage Bobby Anderson. “And he said, ‘Go home,’ be with my family . . . what a great guy.”
“I was just lucky enough, for some reason, to be on Muhammad Ali’s list,” said Harry Brill-Edwards.
“He’s a marvelous individual,” said Sergio Coletta. “Marvelous man.”
Ali was humbled. “They don’t owe me nothin’,” he said in Baghdad. “They don’t owe me nothin’.”
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