Baghdad, Iraq – A senior Iraqi official said Wednesday that “intelligence and security efforts” were underway to win the release of Western hostages, while kidnappers reportedly extended a deadline for the threatened killing of four captive peace activists.
Religious and political leaders abroad – including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder – called for the hostages’ release.
Seven Westerners have been abducted in Iraq since Nov. 26. Among them were four Christian activists – an American, two Canadians and a Briton. On a videotape, their kidnappers reportedly threatened to kill the men if Iraqi prisoners are not freed by today.
But al-Jazeera television said Wednesday that the deadline had been extended until Saturday. The station broadcast video showing two hostages wearing robes and shackled with chains.
Maj. Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal, deputy interior minister for intelligence, said efforts were “aiming and hoping for the release of those people who came to Iraq to provide humanitarian services.”
“We have a hope that the matter will take a peaceful direction,” he said. “There are intelligence and security efforts in this direction. Because of the sensitivity of the matter, I can’t give any other details”.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said his government would not meet the kidnappers’ demands. Norman Kember, a Briton, is among four members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams seized last week by a group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade.
