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Gohebwyr: John Stevenson

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-Otopeni Airport, Bucharest, 1989

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-Two days after Christmas Day,

-1989...

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-..an aeroplane

-leaves Bucharest airport.

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-Aboard are a crew of six

-and one passenger...

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-..a young Welsh photographer,

-Ian Parry.

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-PILOT ANNOUNCEMENT

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-Ready for take off.

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-It was the first flight out

-of Romania for a month...

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-..since the historical events

-that shook the country to its core.

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-The revolution reached

-a bloody climax in late 1989.

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-More than one thousand

-were killed in Bucharest...

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-..as Nicolae Ceausescu's

-communist regime was toppled.

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-Ian Parry, a Welsh photographer,

-was working for The Sunday Times.

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-He was determined to record

-this historical event.

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-He was returning to London

-with rare photographs...

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-..for the Fleet Street newspapers.

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-The aeroplane

-didn't reach its destination.

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-Ian Parry and the crew

-were killed in a remote forest.

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-The official explanation

-was ice on the wings.

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-It couldn't have been bad weather.

-It did not make any sense.

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-Rumours circled from the start...

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-..that the photographer

-was murdered...

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-..to prevent photographs of

-the revolution and war crimes...

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-..from reaching the world.

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-If the plane was shot down,

-it's murder, plain and simple.

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-Murder is murder, however long ago.

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-If the culprits are alive,

-they should be punished.

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-The journalist and former political

-correspondent, John Stevenson...

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-..is on a journey back

-to Romania's dark days.

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-He hopes to answer the question that

-remains unanswered after 25 years.

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-Subtitles

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-# CEAUSESCU'S FINAL SPEECH #

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-I've been interested in Romania

-for decades.

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-As a political correspondent...

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-..I was fascinated

-by the country's politics.

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-The revolution

-that toppled Ceausescu...

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-..took place 25 years ago.

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-But his presence still

-casts shadows over the country.

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-To face

-the future with confidence...

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-..the people

-and politicians of Romania...

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-..must face events

-they chose to forget.

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-It's a murky past.

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-Any journalist worth his salt...

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-..is inquisitive and nosy.

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-I've been aware of Ian Parry's story

-for a long time.

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-This is the first chance I've had

-to get to the bottom of the story...

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-..to understand what

-and why it happened.

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-Why was Ian Parry from Prestatyn

-killed in a forest so far from home?

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-Shortly after Ian Parry's death

-at 24 years of age...

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-..The Ian Parry Scholarship

-was set up in his memory.

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-It's an annual competition

-for young photographers.

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-This is adjudication day.

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-I'm going to London

-to meet people who knew Ian Parry.

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-I hope to get to know the man.

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-London's Frontline Club

-was formed...

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-..after the fall of the Iron Curtain

-and the 1989 Romanian Revolution.

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-It's a haunt for people

-who believe in press freedom...

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-..and who report

-from areas of conflict.

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-It's also a place to remember

-and honour fallen colleagues.

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-I have to say,

-with these nine finalists...

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-Prominent British

-photojournalists...

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-..some who knew

-Ian Parry personally...

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-..award the prize in his memory.

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-Great story.

-The pictures aren't very strong.

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-We're down to the last nine

-of a major award.

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-We're looking for the kind

-of future photographer...

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-..that has the skill

-to do good documentary work.

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-Somebody who has a special eye...

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-..who can bring the drama

-and the story in photographs.

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-That's an interesting picture.

-It shows tension in the human body.

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-When you're a young man and you

-haven't been published very much...

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-..to see your name

-under a publication...

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-..is better than any amount of pay

-that someone would give you.

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-It's a procedure of growing and

-growing and building a reputation.

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-Sadly for Ian Parry, he was only

-on the first rung of the ladder.

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-He would have been one of the top

-photojournalists in the world.

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-Ian was a young rising star

-in Fleet Street at the time.

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-I was older, more experienced.

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-We hadn't spent

-a lot of time together...

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-..until

-the Romanian Revolution happened.

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-I'd heard of him...

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-..and the fact

-he was there for the Sunday Times...

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-..showed the confidence that

-they had in a photographer so young.

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-He was a wonderful guy, very

-generous. He was a great talent.

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-He was proud

-of the fact that at his young age...

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-..he was already working

-for a pre-eminent Sunday newspaper.

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-The Leader Offices, Mold

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-Ian Parry's career

-began closer to home...

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-..as an apprentice photographer

-on The Leader in North Wales.

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-He learned his craft alongside

-people who remember him as a friend.

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-Ian and I worked well together.

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-We were more than colleagues.

-We were friends.

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-It was a huge story for The Leader.

-Here we are.

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-This is the story of his death

-on the front page.

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-People clamoured

-to pay tribute to him...

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-..people like Kate Adie...

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-..who had worked with him

-in another part of the world.

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-Everybody liked Ian.

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-He was a young man,

-full of enthusiasm.

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-He was ambitious and talented.

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-To think that someone like that

-lost his life so violently...

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-..is horrific.

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-His work on The Leader

-was always first class.

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-One photo stands out.

-This little girl is Katy Green.

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-She suffered from a sun allergy.

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-Ian took a fantastic shot of her

-on her first day in nursery school.

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-It was great for The Leader.

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-It made the front page

-of The Daily Mirror.

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-That was just before

-Ian left for London.

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-That was Ian's way of announcing

-to Fleet Street he was on his way.

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-He came to see me

-at The Sunday Times.

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-It's not always

-about the photographs.

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-You get a sense of whether

-somebody at that early age...

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-..is going to be able

-to come through all this and grow.

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-I really felt, all of us felt,

-Ian was one of those people.

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-He was one of those young,

-determined photographers...

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-..who just knew he would dedicate

-his life to photojournalism.

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-He didn't want to do anything else.

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-Henri Coanda Airport, Bucharest

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-AIR CONTROL

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-Bucharest airport

-has changed its name.

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-But the building itself

-hasn't changed at all.

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-It's very sad to think...

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-..about all the people who

-came here, fleeing for their lives.

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-Romania was

-in the throes of a revolution.

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-The army and secret police shot

-people on the streets of Bucharest.

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-They shot their own citizens,

-their fellow Romanians.

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-Ian Parry was following the story.

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-As a photojournalist, he felt

-it was his professional duty...

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-..to show the world

-what was happening in Bucharest.

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-He begged his editor on

-The Sunday Times to let him go.

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-He decided

-that's where the story was.

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-He wanted to show the world

-what was happening.

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-Ian was very, very keen

-to get over there.

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-A part of me said,

-you're not quite ready for this.

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-But because we had

-senior photographers going...

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-..I felt, "Come on,

-he really wants to do this.

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-"You went to Afghanistan.

-Why would I not allow him to go?"

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-He was young, single

-and this is what he wanted to do.

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-Quite frankly,

-I couldn't stop him, anyway.

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-.

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

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-In late 1989,

-during the Romanian Revolution...

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-..Ian Parry, a young Welsh

-photographer, was killed.

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-It was described as an accident.

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-But there are doubts

-if it was a deliberate decision...

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-..to prevent the world from seeing

-images of the revolution.

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-Journalist John Stevenson

-is following the story...

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-..to find the truth

-about Romania's murky past.

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-Former Headquarters

-of the Communist Party

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-The old Communist Party headquarters

-is central to the story.

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-They are now government offices.

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-Nicolae Ceausescu delivered

-his final speech on this balcony...

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-..to reassure the people

-and to hold on to power.

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-# CEAUSESCU'S FINAL SPEECH #

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-I've seen this balcony

-hundreds of times.

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-The pictures are on YouTube.

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-I remember

-watching the events unfold.

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-To think I'm standing

-exactly where Ceausescu stood...

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-..is unbelievable.

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-Four days after that appearance...

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-..Nicolae Ceausescu

-and his wife Elena were executed...

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-..on the orders of the new regime.

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-The balcony is central

-to Ian Parry's story.

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-There are very few photographs

-of Ian in Bucharest.

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-He was a photographer.

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-He wasn't going to take

-a picture of himself!

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-Most of the photos were destroyed

-in the airplane crash.

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-But there is one crucial photo

-that's linked to this balcony.

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-It was the headquarters

-of the Communist Party.

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-We see Ian

-and a number of protestors...

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-..standing in the corner.

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-Imagine the chaos.

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-Young people had

-stormed the building.

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-Ian was taking pictures,

-which he loved doing.

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-Looking at this photograph...

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-..my hand is exactly

-where his foot was.

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-Thinking about that

-is absolutely chilling.

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-Two days

-after Ceausescu's execution...

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-..Ian Parry was also dead.

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-Tom Stoddart, his friend and fellow

-photographer, was also in Romania.

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-The whole world was looking at that

-revolution. It was the place to be.

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-When I was working

-and Ian was there...

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-..it was very much

-about working on the streets.

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-There was heavy fighting.

-People were being shot.

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-The thing was to get

-as many pictures as you could...

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-..in a short space of time...

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-..and to try and survive the sniping

-which was going on all the time.

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-University Square, Bucharest

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-This is University Square.

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-This was the boiling cauldron

-of the revolution...

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-..the focal point of

-the rebellion against Ceausescu.

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-You can see how busy it is.

-It would have been chaotic then.

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-The only place where journalists

-could get peace and quiet...

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-..as well as safety, was the

-Intercontinental Hotel behind me.

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-Like the majority of journalists

-and photojournalists...

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-..the Intercontinental Hotel

-was Ian Parry's home in Bucharest.

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-This is where he spent

-his last night.

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-He insisted on buying supper

-for his friends...

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-..before leaving in the morning.

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-Tom Stoddart

-remembers the time clearly.

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-A major problem was to get

-your pictures back to the office.

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-There was wire machines running 24

-hours a day transmitting pictures.

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-We couldn't get a line out.

-We had no development facilities.

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-Ian came to me and he said...

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-"..I've heard there's

-a plane leaving in the morning."

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-I said,

-"Surely that's not possible."

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-Nothing was flying. The situation

-was still fraught with danger.

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-I said to him,

-he was young and inexperienced...

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-"..OK, don't tell anybody

-about this.

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-"If it's true, we can get

-an edge on our competition...

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-"..from the French agencies

-and the American photographers.

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-"We can get our film out."

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-We agreed to meet at the hotel.

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-There were other

-photographers there.

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-We made our packets up...

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-..labelled the film

-and drank whisky.

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-We went to bed and he was going off

-very early in the morning...

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-..to get on this flight that none

-of us thought would take off.

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-Unfortunately, it did take off.

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-It sadly came down, carrying Ian,

-as the only passenger...

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-..and all the film with it.

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-Tarom Aero 2524 was flying

-on a humanitarian mission...

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-..to pick up blood from Belgrade

-for the casualties of the fighting.

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-Ian Parry saw his chance to get

-the photographs out of the country.

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-Twelve minutes after take off...

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-..the crew of six Romanians and

-the Welsh photographer were dead.

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-According to the authorities,

-it was an accident...

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-..caused by ice on the wings.

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-But even in the early days,

-there were doubts.

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-Romania was known as Rumourmania.

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-All through that revolution...

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-..we'd hear dozens of different

-versions of any story.

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-There were rumours

-flying about everything.

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-Eye-witnesses had seen

-a ball of flame in the sky.

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-They saw clearly the plane

-had been attacked in some way.

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-I heard a rumour that the secret

-police had contaminated the fuel...

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-..of grounded aircraft...

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-..so that nothing could take off,

-and if it did it would crash.

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-The official report was ridiculous.

-It didn't seem to make any sense.

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-Everybody who saw the aircraft

-thought it had been shot down.

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-That's what I always believed.

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-The official report, which

-I was always really stunned by...

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-..was that it had

-crashed in bad weather.

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-It would seem to be

-no further explanation than that.

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-It didn't seem to resonate at all.

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-Even though eyewitnesses insisted

-the aeroplane was shot down...

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-..Romanian authorities were

-reluctant to investigate further.

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-Despite the suggestion in a 1993

-report that the plane was hit...

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-..the event was forgotten,

-until recently...

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-..when a documentary

-was broadcast on Romanian TV.

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-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

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-I was investigating another plane

-crash when I first heard the story.

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-My attention

-was drawn to this story...

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-..because it happened

-during the revolution.

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-It was an eye-opener for me.

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-It had happened during my lifetime

-and I knew nothing about it.

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-My curiosity grew even more...

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-..when my father told me I

-shouldn't talk about these things.

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-I was determined

-to find out the truth...

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-..and why, after 25 years, we

-are not supposed to talk about it.

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-That was the starting point.

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-The programme claimed the aeroplane

-was shot down by a missile...

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-..authorized by the regime

-that toppled Ceausescu.

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-The leader was Ion Iliescu.

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-It was a deliberate act...

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-..to prevent images

-of the new regime's war crimes...

0:21:400:21:44

-..from appearing

-in the world press.

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-These are the pictures

-that Ian Parry had on him.

0:21:480:21:52

-The programme also claimed that

-official documents were changed...

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-..to hide the truth.

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-There is an unexpected piece of

-evidence in the Antena 3 offices.

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-It offers a vivid picture

-of what happened in 1989...

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-..and reveals

-the authorities' response.

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-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

0:22:170:22:19

-It might be hard to believe...

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-..but this is a part

-of the aeroplane itself...

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-..from Vistina forest, 1989.

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-I came across this in the forest.

-I didn't know what it was.

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-When I picked it up off the ground,

-I saw something red and yellow.

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-I knew straightaway it was

-the Romania banner during Communism.

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-I took it to experts.

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-I wanted to be sure

-it was a piece of the aeroplane.

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-They confirmed that it was...

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-..a fragment of the aeroplane

-that came down in December 1989.

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-You found this fragment

-at the scene of the crash.

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-What was it like being there?

0:23:170:23:20

-How did it feel to find

-a piece of the aeroplane?

0:23:200:23:24

-It was a huge shock to me.

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-I never imagined I'd find a part

-of the wreckage of the crash...

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-..that happened 25 years ago.

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-I was very disappointed.

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-It was a sign of how

-the authorities worked at the time.

0:23:420:23:47

-Most eyewitnesses said that soldiers

-arrived very soon after the crash.

0:23:490:23:54

-They were more interested...

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-..in gathering pieces of photos and

-boxes carried by the travellers...

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-..than the people themselves.

0:24:030:24:06

-In the forest now,

-there are two large holes...

0:24:060:24:10

-..and many items

-left after the accident.

0:24:100:24:13

-John Stevenson's journey has

-taken him from Wales to London...

0:24:200:24:25

-..and then Bucharest.

0:24:250:24:27

-Parts of the story

-are coming together.

0:24:270:24:30

-The next step of the journey

-takes him out of the capital...

0:24:300:24:34

-..and face to face with the past.

0:24:350:24:38

-.

0:24:380:24:38

-Subtitles

0:24:430:24:43

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:24:430:24:45

-Trying to find the truth...

0:24:470:24:49

-..about Ian Parry's death

-in the 1989 Romanian Revolution...

0:24:490:24:53

-..has taken journalist

-John Stevenson to places...

0:24:540:24:58

-..that were significant

-in the photographer's life.

0:24:580:25:02

-He also heard blunt claims

-that it was a plot...

0:25:020:25:05

-..by the authorities at that time.

0:25:060:25:08

-EXPLOSION

0:25:090:25:10

-The next step of the journey...

0:25:130:25:15

-..brings him face to face

-with the truth about what happened.

0:25:160:25:20

-Before going to the site of

-the disaster where Ian Parry died...

0:25:320:25:36

-..John Stevenson wants

-to visit Ghencea Cemetery.

0:25:370:25:40

-Many of the 1,000 people killed in

-Bucharest alone are buried here...

0:25:400:25:45

-..including a leading

-historical figure.

0:25:460:25:50

-It was a shock to see

-the Orthodox cemetery.

0:25:500:25:54

-Orthodoxy is the religion

-of most Romanians.

0:25:540:25:59

-It's ironic, because Ceausescu was a

-communist and therefore an atheist.

0:25:590:26:05

-The last place

-I expected him to be buried...

0:26:050:26:09

-..was in an Orthodox cemetery.

0:26:090:26:12

-The family paid

-for the grandiose tomb.

0:26:120:26:16

-Romanians still come here.

0:26:170:26:19

-These are fresh flowers.

0:26:200:26:23

-There is still

-respect for Ceausescu.

0:26:260:26:30

-The flowers have been placed

-by Luminita and Mihai Arvunescu.

0:26:310:26:36

-But the other ribbon

-greatly surprised me.

0:26:390:26:43

-Sincere regrete.

0:26:450:26:47

-Sincerest regrets.

0:26:470:26:49

-Regrets about what?

0:26:490:26:51

-Regrets that he died?

0:26:520:26:54

-Regrets at the way he died?

0:26:550:26:57

-Regrets about what he did?

0:26:570:26:59

-That raises all kinds of questions.

0:26:590:27:02

-It's all surprising.

0:27:030:27:05

-The cemetery is totally different

-from anything in Wales.

0:27:050:27:10

-Ceausescu's grave

-is the last thing I expected.

0:27:120:27:16

-It's a shock...

0:27:180:27:20

-..to see so much grandeur

-for a man who was toppled...

0:27:210:27:26

-..in a very bloody uprising.

0:27:280:27:31

-We're on our way to the site of

-the accident, if it was an accident.

0:27:430:27:49

-It's a strange experience,

-being close to the forest.

0:27:500:27:55

-My hope is to find something...

0:27:560:27:58

-..or speak to someone...

0:27:590:28:01

-..who can throw some light

-on what happened that day...

0:28:020:28:07

-..and throw light

-on what happened afterwards...

0:28:070:28:10

-..in the investigation

-into the accident.

0:28:110:28:15

-I hear myself saying

-"accident" all the time.

0:28:150:28:20

-There is great uncertainty

-about whether it was an accident.

0:28:210:28:26

-My instinct tells me

-there is much more to the story...

0:28:270:28:32

-..than what has so far

-come to light...

0:28:320:28:35

-..and what was acknowledged

-by the authorities.

0:28:350:28:38

-Near Malinoasa Forest,

-John is called to Vistina.

0:28:400:28:45

-Several eyewitnesses

-want to describe what they saw.

0:28:450:28:50

-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

0:28:500:28:51

-Buna ziua.

0:28:540:28:55

-Here's Mr John and his crew.

0:28:580:29:00

-I lived in a house in the forest.

0:29:020:29:04

-I had a great shock when the windows

-were smashed by a loud noise.

0:29:050:29:10

-The plane was passing above

-a few cottages when it came down.

0:29:110:29:15

-It was in two parts, with a huge

-flame coming out of the tail.

0:29:150:29:20

-In 15 minutes, helicopters arrived.

0:29:230:29:26

-Soon after, policemen and soldiers

-came and shut down the whole area.

0:29:260:29:31

-I was familiar with the forest.

-I stayed to see what was going on.

0:29:310:29:36

-I have a clear memory

-of body parts everywhere...

0:29:360:29:40

-..and trees cut in half.

0:29:410:29:43

-Was it an accident

-or was the plane shot down?

0:29:430:29:47

-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

0:29:470:29:48

-No, he didn't believe

-that it was an accident...

0:29:570:30:02

-..or bad weather.

0:30:020:30:04

-He saw the big flame.

0:30:040:30:06

-He was still sure...

0:30:070:30:08

-..that it was crashed by something.

0:30:090:30:12

-Vistina is the closest community

-to the site of the disaster.

0:30:140:30:19

-It is still very vivid

-in the villagers' memories.

0:30:190:30:23

-They have a definite opinion

-about the event.

0:30:230:30:27

-I heard a loud noise as the plane

-flew low over the house...

0:30:280:30:32

-..only about 20 metres above it.

0:30:330:30:35

-Black smoke came out of the tail.

0:30:360:30:38

-The plane passed the church...

0:30:390:30:41

-..then there was a loud

-explosion in the forest.

0:30:420:30:45

-Black smoke came out of the plane

-and a big flame out of the tail.

0:30:450:30:50

-I'm sure the pilot

-saw people on the ground...

0:30:530:30:56

-..and made a great effort to aim for

-the forest, away from our houses.

0:30:560:31:01

-It's evident to me this was

-no accident. It was deliberate.

0:31:050:31:09

-This isn't right.

0:31:100:31:12

-I want to know the truth.

0:31:120:31:14

-SIGHS

0:31:280:31:29

-I'm on the site.

-It's a very marshy spot.

0:31:290:31:33

-There are insects everywhere.

0:31:330:31:36

-I don't know what kind

-of experience this will be.

0:31:360:31:39

-I'm here. I might as well start.

0:31:400:31:42

-We've seen one hole.

0:32:240:32:26

-This hole is much larger.

0:32:270:32:30

-Because it is larger...

0:32:310:32:33

-..who knows what there is

-to be discovered here?

0:32:340:32:38

-The authorities say

-they've held an inquiry.

0:33:000:33:04

-I found these

-after only a few minutes.

0:33:040:33:07

-It raises a big question about

-the thoroughness of the inquiry.

0:33:070:33:13

-I'm no expert in these matters.

0:33:230:33:26

-I'd say this is part of a seat.

0:33:260:33:28

-Deeper in the forest,

-John finds a clear sign...

0:33:410:33:45

-..commemorating what

-happened 25 years ago.

0:33:450:33:50

-I've travelled hundreds

-of miles to come here.

0:34:200:34:23

-I hadn't expected the place to be...

0:34:230:34:26

-..so remote and wild.

0:34:270:34:29

-Six Romanians were

-killed in the accident...

0:34:310:34:35

-..and a Welshman, Ian Parry,

-a lad from Prestatyn...

0:34:370:34:40

-..a young man

-at the start of his career.

0:34:410:34:44

-The journey began in Prestatyn.

0:34:460:34:48

-It ended in

-the Romanian countryside.

0:34:490:34:53

-How different this is...

0:34:590:35:01

-..compared to what

-we saw in the cemetery...

0:35:020:35:06

-..the grandiose Ceausescu grave.

0:35:070:35:10

-There's a rough-hewn cross here.

0:35:140:35:16

-It's ironic to see how Ceausescu

-is remembered and respected...

0:35:180:35:24

-..and how Ian Parry is remembered,

-in the middle of a forest.

0:35:260:35:31

-Apart from his family

-and those close to him...

0:35:310:35:35

-..the eyewitnesses and people

-who knew about the story...

0:35:350:35:41

-..to all purposes,

-Ian Parry has been forgotten.

0:35:410:35:45

-.

0:35:460:35:46

-Subtitles

0:36:220:36:22

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:36:220:36:24

-SIRENS

0:36:260:36:28

-The Romanian Revolution saw the

-bloody end of the communist regime.

0:36:460:36:50

-It still weighs heavily

-on the country and people.

0:36:510:36:55

-A story about a plane disaster...

0:36:550:36:58

-..where six Romanians and Welshman

-Ian Parry died, won't go away.

0:36:580:37:04

-Reporter John Stevenson heard

-evidence and saw for himself...

0:37:050:37:09

-..the circumstances surrounding

-the photographer's death.

0:37:100:37:14

-They cast suspicion

-that it was all a plot...

0:37:150:37:18

-..and that the plane was shot down

-by the authorities deliberately.

0:37:180:37:23

-In the last part of his journey...

0:37:280:37:31

-..John comes closer to answering the

-question of who killed Ian Parry.

0:37:310:37:36

-The reporter on a documentary

-broadcast in Romania...

0:37:420:37:46

-..throws more light

-on the authorities' attitude...

0:37:460:37:50

-..yesterday and today.

0:37:500:37:53

-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

0:37:530:37:54

-We asked the authorities

-many questions.

0:37:570:38:01

-They said they knew

-nothing about the accident.

0:38:010:38:04

-No papers existed.

0:38:040:38:06

-The only document they gave me

-was the official report...

0:38:060:38:11

-..stating that the plane

-had come down in bad weather.

0:38:110:38:15

-The most important document

-we received had been stolen...

0:38:200:38:24

-..from the Government office

-by a crew member's relative.

0:38:240:38:28

-It states clearly that the plane

-was brought down by a missile.

0:38:280:38:33

-Something hit the plane.

0:38:330:38:35

-..an act by an exterior force...

0:38:350:38:37

-..possibly a strike from outside...

0:38:380:38:41

-It was clear to me that

-the authorities knew everything.

0:38:410:38:46

-But to this day, they don't want

-the truth to come out.

0:38:470:38:50

-The next piece of the jigsaw

-came from a person...

0:38:570:39:00

-..who was at the heart

-of events in 1989.

0:39:000:39:04

-SPEAKS ROMANIAN

0:39:040:39:07

-Our intention wasn't to kill him,

-but to bring Ceausescu to trial.

0:39:070:39:13

-Many people had been

-killed on the streets.

0:39:130:39:16

-Dan Voinea was Chief Military

-Prosecutor in Ceausescu's trial.

0:39:200:39:25

-The way that historic

-trial was held...

0:39:250:39:28

-..reveals a lot about

-what happened later to Ian Parry.

0:39:290:39:34

-I didn't feel

-I had enough evidence...

0:39:370:39:40

-..to bring a strong case

-against Ceausescu.

0:39:400:39:43

-I told the Judge that.

0:39:430:39:45

-He replied, "Don't worry.

0:39:450:39:47

-"This is only the start

-of a long and important trial."

0:39:470:39:51

-But the new regime's Defence

-Minister, Stanculescu...

0:39:530:39:57

-..said that we would only

-have an hour for the trial.

0:39:580:40:02

-We had to come to a decision.

0:40:020:40:04

-The striking thing

-about what you say...

0:40:070:40:10

-..is about the political motives

-that led to the Ceausescu trial.

0:40:100:40:16

-I suppose it was a small step...

0:40:160:40:19

-..from political intervention

-to usurp the president...

0:40:190:40:23

-..to political intervention...

0:40:240:40:26

-..and deciding to fire

-a missile to bring a plane down.

0:40:270:40:32

-It was exactly the same.

0:40:340:40:36

-The same people made the decision.

0:40:360:40:38

-Let me be clear.

0:40:380:40:40

-You're telling me that the people

-who decided for political reasons...

0:40:400:40:45

-..to kill Ceausescu...

0:40:450:40:47

-..Ion Iliescu

-and General Stanculescu...

0:40:470:40:52

-..were exactly the same people

-who gave the order...

0:40:520:40:57

-..to fire at the plane.

0:40:570:40:59

-Yes, they were the same.

0:41:000:41:02

-They wanted to conceal the truth...

0:41:020:41:05

-..about what happened

-during the Revolution.

0:41:050:41:08

-Ion Iliescu came to power

-after the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu.

0:41:080:41:13

-He was president of Romania

-for eight years in the 1990s.

0:41:130:41:17

-If he was involved in any way

-in the murder of Ian Parry...

0:41:170:41:21

-..what was he so keen to hide?

0:41:220:41:24

-Ian Parry was a friendly person.

0:41:280:41:30

-Romanian photographers

-gave him pictures.

0:41:300:41:34

-The Romanian media

-were not free at the time.

0:41:340:41:37

-They were not trusted.

0:41:380:41:40

-As well as photographs,

-Ian Parry received documents.

0:41:470:41:51

-That's the reason why he was

-a target for the authorities.

0:41:520:41:56

-I have evidence that the plane

-was shot down near Vistina Forest.

0:41:580:42:04

-Dan Voinea collected information

-at the time of the original inquiry.

0:42:100:42:16

-It included statements

-by Romanian photographers.

0:42:160:42:20

-They took photos

-at the start of the uprising...

0:42:210:42:24

-..showing who was responsible.

0:42:240:42:27

-The photos could have harmed

-the new regime led by Ion Iliescu.

0:42:280:42:32

-The photos came

-into Ian Parry's possession.

0:42:350:42:39

-It was hoped they would

-be seen outside Romania.

0:42:390:42:42

-Throughout the story,

-one name crops up constantly.

0:42:420:42:47

-I have seen a lot of documents.

0:42:510:42:53

-Ion Iliescu's name never appears.

0:42:530:42:57

-But everyone I've spoken to

-says the same thing.

0:42:570:43:00

-Only one man could

-authorize this action.

0:43:000:43:04

-25 years have passed since the

-revolution and Ian Parry's death.

0:43:170:43:22

-Although problems remain,

-Romania has changed.

0:43:220:43:26

-There is an elected government.

-The country is an EU member.

0:43:260:43:31

-But one fundamental question

-about Ian Parry's death remains...

0:43:330:43:38

-..which John is anxious to ask.

0:43:380:43:41

-Twenty five years have passed.

-We're discussing mature men.

0:43:410:43:46

-Is it too late to do anything

-to bring to account...

0:43:460:43:50

-..the people responsible

-for murdering Ian Parry?

0:43:510:43:55

-No, no.

0:43:550:43:57

-It is never too late for the truth.

0:43:570:44:00

-The big problem

-with the Romanian legal system...

0:44:010:44:04

-..is that there is no justice

-for ordinary people.

0:44:040:44:08

-The government has done nothing

-for Romanians, let alone Ian Parry.

0:44:080:44:15

-There are grave doubts in Romania

-about the regime's credibility...

0:44:250:44:29

-..and their ability to face

-the truth about the past.

0:44:300:44:34

-Voices from outside the country

-raise similar doubts.

0:44:340:44:39

-If it is proved

-the plane was shot down...

0:44:390:44:42

-..then government officials

-have a human and moral right...

0:44:420:44:46

-..to investigate thoroughly.

0:44:460:44:49

-There hasn't been

-a thorough investigation.

0:44:490:44:52

-A lot has been

-swept under the carpet.

0:44:520:44:55

-Hopefully they'll take

-their responsibilities seriously...

0:44:550:45:00

-..and they'll look into it.

0:45:000:45:02

-From what I see, it points

-very clearly to a deliberate act...

0:45:030:45:08

-..to shoot down the plane.

0:45:080:45:11

-If that's what happened,

-it means it was murder.

0:45:110:45:15

-Therefore, the people responsible

-should be prosecuted.

0:45:160:45:21

-If guilty, they should be punished.

0:45:210:45:24

-The least we can do...

0:45:240:45:26

-..is to ensure justice

-for Ian Parry.

0:45:260:45:29

-As a reporter, I try not to be

-emotional when reporting a story.

0:45:370:45:42

-I have only spoken to the families

-of the Romanians who were killed.

0:45:470:45:52

-As one of the generation

-responsible for the revolution...

0:45:560:46:00

-..what I'd like to say

-to Ian Parry's family...

0:46:000:46:03

-..I'm truly sorry.

0:46:070:46:09

-This is Ian Parry's grave.

0:46:320:46:34

-There is no headstone.

0:46:350:46:37

-The reason for that,

-and for the simple cross...

0:46:370:46:41

-..is that the stone was moved.

0:46:410:46:43

-The irony is that

-Ian's mother, Gwladys Parry...

0:46:430:46:47

-..died in 2014...

0:46:470:46:48

-..twenty five years after

-Ian's death in Romania.

0:46:490:46:54

-For me, the journey ends

-in Prestatyn's graveyard...

0:46:550:46:59

-..by Ian's grave.

0:46:590:47:01

-The journey to find the truth...

0:47:020:47:04

-..and discover what happened

-to bring about Ian Parry's death...

0:47:050:47:11

-..will continue.

0:47:120:47:14

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

0:48:080:48:10

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0:48:100:48:10

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