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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Zawahiri loyalists sez they seized Italian women |
| 2004-09-09 |
| A previously unknown Islamic group claiming loyalty to a leader of Al Qaeda took responsibility on Wednesday for the kidnapping Tuesday of two Italian aid workers. A group calling itself Al Zawahiri Loyalists said it had kidnapped the two Italians, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, declared the women to be "spies" and promised to use them to "burn the hearts" of Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and of the Italian people. The group appears to be named for Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian doctor who is believed to be the second in command of Al Qaeda. There was no way to authenticate the message, which was posted on a Web site used by Islamist organizationss. The group made no demand of Italy's government, but instead said it intended to inflict "punishment" on Italy for basing troops in Iraq in support of the American-led forces here. It also made no mention of the two Iraqi aid workers who were seized with the Italians. The two women were kidnapped from their home on Tuesday when a group of about 15 armed men surrounded their house, barged inside and dragged them to a waiting convoy of three cars. Ms. Pari and Ms. Torretta both worked with an Italian group, Bridges to Baghdad, which provides health services, water treatment and education to Iraqis. Their abduction was the latest in a string of kidnappings of foreigners based in Iraq, some of whom are connected to the American-led enterprise here. Ms. Pari and Ms. Torretta are not. The message about the Italian hostages was posted on a site called the Platform of the Sunni People, the same site on which a demand for $5 million for the release of two French hostages was posted earlier this week. The French journalists are thought to be still in captivity. The message was titled "Kidnapping of Italian Female Spies in Iraq Is Our First Strike Against Italy." The message accused the Italian government of ignoring repeated warning from Iraqi insurgents to withdraw and to "stop killing Muslims in Iraq." The Italians maintain about 3,000 troops in Iraq, most based in or near Nasiriya, in the south. Those warnings, the message said, were ignored. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 I don't think a woman hostage from a Western country other than France will fare too well in the care of Zawahiri loyalists - could they mean Zarqawi loyalists? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-09-09 4:08:10 AM |