The Hindu : International : Threat to hand over CARE official to Al-Zarqawi

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Thursday, Nov 04, 2004

International

International

Threat to hand over CARE official to Al-Zarqawi

By Richard Norton-Taylor
and Michael Howard

LONDON/ BAGHDAD, NOV. 3. A new film of the kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan shows her kidnappers threatening to turn her over to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group within 48 hours if British troops don't leave Iraq.

The tape was delivered to the Arab television station al-Jazeera, but they decided not to broadcast it on humanitarian grounds. The Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, said ``a number of very dangerous and very serious timescales'' were stated in the video, which allegedly shows her pleading for her life directly to the camera before suddenly fainting. A bucket of water is then believed to have been thrown over her head and she is filmed lying wet and helpless on the ground before getting up and crying. Mr Ahern said he had seen the text of the video and described it as ``distressing''.

`Withdraw troops'

Mrs Hassan, 59, who holds joint British, Irish and Iraqi citizenship, was seized outside her Baghdad home two weeks ago by unknown militants who have said they will behead her unless Britain withdraws its troops from Baghdad and authorities free all women prisoners in Iraq.

Yesterday Deirdre Fitzsimons, Mrs Hassan's sister, who was accompanied by two other sisters and a brother at a meeting with Mr Ahern, issued a plea to her kidnappers. ``We are the Irish family of Margaret and we are pleading with you to set her free. ``We have listened to your demands and begged Tony Blair and the British Government to release the women prisoners and also not to move the troops,'' she said.

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