The Hindu : Front Page : Mediator appeals to kidnappers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 31, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Mediator appeals to kidnappers

By Atul Aneja

ANXIOUS MOMENTS: Residents of Makraula Kalan village in Punjab, from where Sukhdev Singh, one of the three Indians being held hostage in Iraq hails, hold consultations on Friday. -- PTI

MANAMA, JULY 30 . The fate of the hostages in Iraq continues to hang in the balance as there has been no confirmation that the kidnappers have extended the Friday evening deadline they had set for executing one of them.

Diplomatic sources told The Hindu that they were still waiting for the kidnappers to either directly announce an extension of the deadline that expired at 7 p.m. local time (9.30 p.m. IST) or convey their message through Sheikh Hisham Al-Dulaimi — an Iraqi tribal leader who is mediating to end the crisis.

`Open deadline'

The BBC Online, however, quoted a spokesperson of the Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company (KGL) whose seven employees, including three Indians have been kidnapped, as saying that the deadline had been lifted. "The deadline is open now," Rana Abu-Zaineh was quoted as saying.

PRAYERS AND HOPES: The worried relatives of Antaryami, another Indian hostage held in Iraq. His mother, Bhago Devi (at left), and wife, Kusum Lata (with their child), at their home at Delhan in Himachal Pradesh. -- AFP

It is feared that Antaryami Bains, one of the three Indian hostages, could be the kidnappers' first victim.

A videotape released on Thursday by the abductors belonging to the group "Holders of the Black Banners" showed Bains sitting on the floor with a captor pointing an M-16 automatic rifle at his head.

The kidnappers said in the tape that they would execute one of the hostages by Friday evening if there was no response to their demands. Faced with the deadline, there were frantic efforts to persuade the kidnappers not to implement their threat. This morning, Mr. Al-Dulaimi appealed to the kidnappers to review their earlier decision.

`Rethink the matter'

He said: "In my name and in the name of humanity and religious leaders, I appeal to the Secret Army — Black Banners Battalion — to rethink the matter and not to execute the hostages, because, God willing, there is a chance to reach a positive outcome that would secure the release of all of them."

Mr. Al-Dulaimi was expected to hold a meeting with the kidnappers after Friday prayers this afternoon. He also stated that the Indian Embassy in Baghdad had started talks with him. Mr. Dulaimi had earlier criticised "relevant" embassies for not establishing contact with him.

Firm's appeal

In a statement, the KGL implored the abductors not to give up on negotiations, and agreed to hold talks through any channel of their preference. "We have already been negotiating with you for the past seven or eight days through our true Iraqi friends, and we will continue negotiating with you through them or through any other channel that you choose." A company representative is expected to meet Mr. Dulaimi on Saturday.

`No operations in Iraq'

The kidnappers in Thursday's statement had used strong language to criticise the Kuwaiti firm for ignoring Mr. Al-Dulaimi during the talks. The KGL in its statement stressed that it did not have "any operations in Iraq." The kidnappers were critical of India, which they said had deviated from the path of (Mahatma) Gandhi. "The lack of sincerity of the Indian Government with its people is far from the way of

Gandhi in realising peace and rejecting occupation, so we have decided that these are (Indian hostages) fighters supporting the infidel in transporting supplies to them."

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