Famous Edvard Munch Painting Stolen From Oslo Museum
WHITFIELD: In Norway, it's an art theft that make authorities and art lovers want to scream: 2 priceless paints snatched from an Oslo museum in broad daylight. CNN's Glenn Van Sutphin has details.</s>GLENN VAN SUTPHIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The brazen daytime theft of 2 well-known paintings from Oslo's Munch Museum took guards and patrons by surprise.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two persons with hoods on their heads, they were disguised and with weapons, rushed into the museum, and they knew exactly where the paintings were. So they went directly up to them, took them down from the wall and run out as the alarm came on. And they threatened the guards with guns.</s>VAN SUTPHIN: The thieves made off with the paintings worth millions of dollars.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Men coming forward with a black guard over his mouth and nose and black pants but a gray sweatshirt. So, we weren't sure what to think of him. And he came -- he kind of paused at back, and then he came rushing forward. And he went towards "The Madonna painting. And he grabbed that off the wall. And he kind of -- he started banging it against the wall and against the ground, I guess because the gray strings weren't breaking off for him. And then he kind of looked confused as to what to do next. He then saw "The Scream," and ran towards that and grabbed that off the wall. And then he started rushing the front and we started rushing out the back.</s>VAN SUTPHIN: The picture frames were later found in another part of the city, the pictures cut out. Investigators are still looking for further clues.</s>ERLEND FERNANDEZ STEDDING, (via telephone): They have camera footage of the robbery now and they also managed to get some pictures taken by tourists that were at the scene during the robbery. According to police, police reports this evening, they have no suspects at the moment, and they are asking witnesses now to come forward to help the police with the investigation.</s>VAN SUTPHIN (ph): Edvard Munch who lived from 1863 to 1944 painted four versions of "The Scream." A founder of modern expressionism he painted both "The Scream" and "Madonna" as part of a series about love, fear and death. The best-known version of "The Scream" was stolen in 1994 and later recovered. It now hangs in the Oslo National Gallery. Glenn Van Sutphin, CNN, Atlanta.</s>WHITFIELD: Other news happening now. French American journalist Micah Garen was released today in Nasiriyah, Iraq after being held for more than a week. Garen was kidnapped along with his translator while walking in a busy market in the Iraqi city. Garen said he was treated well during his captivity. The first preliminary hearings for terror suspects being held at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center will start next week, four men will face a commission of military officers, the hearing for each man is expected to take a full day. New Jersey Governor James McGreevey took to the editorial pages today to explain his reluctance to immediately resign his post. He writes his administration has important initiatives to accomplish and that a special election would side track those goals. Keeping you informed, CNN the most trusted name in news. And who is the fastest man on earth? It's -- wait a minute, there's a starting line. Stick around. We'll have a live report on who crossed the finish line first?