A top Taliban commander threatened on Saturday to kill a kidnapped Italian journalist unless the movement’s arrested spokesmen were freed and a date was set for the withdrawal of Italian troops from Afghanistan.Mullah Dadullah, speaking on telephone from an unknown location, said the militia had set a seven-day deadline for the demands to be met otherwise “we will slaughter this man”. The Italian embassy in Kabul said it wanted proof from whoever was holding the 52-year-old Repubblica correspondent Daniele Mastrogiacomo that he was still alive before it would consider entering into any negotiations. But later on Saturday the Italian government confirmed that Mastrogiacomo was still alive. A Foreign Ministry statement said Mastrogiacomo was alive and the Italian government had “credible information on those who carried out the kidnapping”. Dadullah said: “We have no enmity with the Italians. If they set a date for their withdrawal, we will release the Italian.”
“Our spokespersons should be released and our news should be allowed to be disseminated without censorship,” Dadullah added. “If our demands are not met within seven days, we will slaughter this man.”