By Ryan G. Murphy, RTDNA Digital Media Editor

The day before she was brutally attacked in Egypt, CBS News correspondent Lara Logan expressed both concern and confidence about returning to Egypt a week after being detained and expelled.

In an interview with Esquire on Feb. 10, Logan said that in returning to Egypt so soon, "part of me feels like it's really insane, but the other part of me made a very considered, rational decision with my teammates."

Logan also told Esquire that she was returning to Egypt with her producer and her husband and that it "would be foolish to discount the possibility" of being detained again.

During her initial trip to Egypt in early February, Logan filed a report for CBS saying that her team were being "watched everywhere that we go...definitely being prevented from telling the story."

"Everywhere we went we were approached by people," she said in the CBS report. "We were accused of being more than journalists, very frightening suggestions were being made. Suggestions that really could be very dangerous for us."

On the precautions she and her team would be taking in returning to Egypt a second time, Logan told Esquire: "We've made sure that the Egyptian embassy in the U.S. knows we’re going. They're fully aware of it. They know what our purpose is, that we're journalists. We’ve made every effort to try and get media accreditation before we left, but the Embassy said because of the backup they couldn't [get it to us], so they're trying to help us on the ground. There are no surprises here this time. It is a better plan. Again, it's not foolproof, you know?"

News of Logan's attack quickly circulated online and via Twitter on Wednesday after CBS offered its report on the attack.

"In the crush of the mob, [Logan] was separated from her crew," the report read, in part. "She was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers. She reconnected with the CBS team, returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning. She is currently home recovering."

Shortly following the report, RTDNA Chairman Mark Kraham condemned the assaults: “RTDNA strongly condemns this awful attack on Lara. Of course, violence of any kind against journalists is completely unacceptable. This terrible incident harshly reveals the risk that journalists often face in doing their jobs to tell as comprehensive a story as possible.  We wish Lara the best in her recovery and thank her for her intrepid reporting while in Egypt.”

 

POST A COMMENT

Logan attack

In my years as an assignment editor, I often worried for the safety of my reporters and other crew members. Never, in my worst nightmares, did I envision the kind of horror that befell this working reporter in Cairo. I suppose the world has grown more vicious in recent years, as witnessed by both the attack and the subsequent venom that has filled the Blogosphere and other septic tanks. Unfortunately, this will -- and probably should -- chill the assignment of skilled female journalists to stories like this. If I still sent crews into harm's way, I know I would be worrying that this attack will tell other crazies that raping a woman journalist is a good way to limit public access to news. We all need to hope for her Logan's speedy recovery and access to good theapy...while considering how we cover news for a public that seems to be becoming unworthy of our sacrifices.

Lara Logan

Lara is a gutsy reporter, in my opinion, one of the toughest field correspondents in the business today. I have worried about her being on the front lines in countries with cultures that do not regard the status of women as we do in this country. I pray she recovers and returns to the industry. We need more like her.

Lara Logan

It is quite sobering and stunning to hear of a horrible attack on such a courageous reporter who I admire. All the best to you Lara in your recovery.

Lara Logan Attacked

First I would like to say my thoughts and prayers are with Ms Logan, her family and her co-workers who I am sure are still struggling to cope with such a brutal attack. And I think we are all relieved to know she feels well enough to give Esquire Magazine an interview.
If I understand the time line of events Ms. Logan and her team were kicked out of Egypt. She was told by the US Embassy if she returned she would have to do so without media credentials. She and her team decided to return anyway... Not only to the same country where several journalists had already been attacked, but down into the streets where media credentials don\'t count for sqat in a mob in the first place. When Ms Logan told Esquire that prior to her departure...part of me feels like it\'s really insane...she should have listened to what that little voice was telling her. Because it was.