Iraqi lawyer turns out to be Jessica's saviour

An Iraqi lawyer walked for six miles to find US marines so he could save 19-year-old US soldier Jessica Lynch, after he saw her beaten in hospital.

Mohammed, the 32-year-old lawyer whose last name is being withheld at the request of the marines, spotted Pte Lynch while on a visit to his wife, a nurse, at the hospital in Nasiriyah, The Washington Post reported yesterday.

On Tuesday night, US special forces rescued Pte Lynch, one of several troops from the 507th maintenance company who were captured when they took a wrong turn on 23 March.

Pte Lynch's father, Greg Lynch, told NBC yesterday: "I am truly grateful for what he's (Mohammed's) done. I realise he risked his own life to do this."

Mohammed told the American newspaper that when he saw, through a window, Pte Lynch slapped in the face by a man clad in black his heart was "cut". He said there were also Fedayeen at the hospital.

He approached her and said "don't worry, don't worry" and said he was going to get help.

"I decided to go the Americans and tell them about this story," Mohammed said.

Mohammed then walked six miles out of Nasiriyah town centre before he found the Marines. He approached them with hands raised. "What do you want?" a Marine asked.

"I have important information about woman soldier in hospital," he replied.

Mohammed drew out rough maps, which the US forces used to rescue Pte Lynch, and did two dangerous missions back to the hospital to show US forces the best ways in.

Mohammed and his family were then flown to a refugee centre in the southern port city of Umm Qasr, where they spoke to The Washington Post.

Pte Lynch, who was operated on to repair a fracture that was pinching a nerve in her back, remains in a German military hospital. She has two broken legs and a broken arm.