Posted on 10/31/2004 5:18:51 PM PST by aculeus
Islamic militants yesterday threatened to kill an Irish woman and two fellow hostages in Afghanistan, warning: 'We will not only behead them, but chop them up, as is being done in Iraq.'
A Taliban breakaway faction known as the Jaish-e-Muslimeen (Army of Muslims) said it had snatched 35-year-old Annetta Flanigan, a UN official, and two colleagues last week and will kill them unless US and coalition troops withdraw from the country.
Ishaq Manzoor, a spokesman for the group, said: 'If these countries don't agree to our demands, we will do the same thing as the mujahideen are doing in Iraq.'
Manzoor also demanded the release of all Afghan detainees from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and called for the search for the captives to be halted. He claimed that a video showing the prisoners would be released 'in two or three days' to an Arab television channel. 'These people are with us. They have difficulty in eating our foods, but they will soon get used to it.' He also said Flanigan had been ill but had recovered after being given medicine. Manzoor added: 'We may kill them if we could not get a positive response.'
Diplomatic sources confirmed they have received proof of the militants' claims by checking an identity number against one of the hostage's credit cards. The death threat will intensify fears that the kidnapping of Westerners in Iraq could encourage copycat tactics in Afghanistan, which remains unstable despite recent democratic elections. Armed men snatched Flanigan, of Richhill, Co Armagh, Philippines diplomat Angelito Nayan, and Kosovan Shqipe Habibi, who had been working on the elections, from a UN vehicle in rush-hour traffic on Thursday.
Afghan Interior Ministry officials were yesterday questioning seven suspects in connection with the kidnappings and said three men, dressed in military uniforms, had been arrested in Kabul.
Flanigan, who has British and Irish citizenship, had worked for a joint UN and Afghan commission overseeing the poll. In New York, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said the organisation is hoping for an 'immediate and unconditional release'.
Flanigan's family declined to comment, but Seamus Mallon, Newry and Armagh MP, spoke on their behalf: 'We can all be proud of the aid workers and election workers like Annetta who make great sacrifices helping others in troubled areas of the world. We hope she will be returned safe and well to her family.'
There was a sombre mood yesterday at Flanigan's local church, St Matthew's, in Richhill, which was opened to allow friends and neighbours to say prayers. Dominic Bradley, the local Social and Democratic Labour Party assembly member, said the entire community was in distress. 'I know the thoughts and prayers of everyone here are with Annetta and her family.'
Flanigan, a graduate of Queen's University in Belfast, worked as a solicitor in nearby Portadown. She and her husband planned to return to Northern Ireland for Christmas.
The Foreign Office said that it was aware of the hostage takers' demands and claimed that work is continuing to secure Flanigan's release.
Meanwhile, George Galloway, the controversial former Labour MP, was due to appear on the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera last night to appeal directly to the Iraqi hostage-takers of aid worker Margaret Hassan. The director of operations for Care International in Iraq was seized in Baghdad on 19 October.
Galloway, who was thrown out of the Labour Party for his outspoken opposition to the Iraq war, yesterday launched the appeal 'in the name of the anti-war movement' at Respect's first annual delegate conference in London. He said: 'I have deliberately not involved myself before in any of these situations. But this woman has been a prominent opponent of both the war and the preceding years of sanctions. I am prepared to do anything I can to help save her life.'
'Splain to me again, please, why we're supposed to respect their "religion"?
Monkey see, monkey do.
What brave people's these stupid demon-possessed murdering Muhammadan Death Cultists are.../XXXSarcasm
I hope Bush's next statement to the "Religion of Pieces (as in, men's/women's/children's body parts)" ends with an exclamation mark...underneath a mushroom cloud...and over Iran somwhere.
TFTP Eagle...
Proof that the Kerry Campaign isn't the only meltdown happening around the world.
Another day for jihad iin this "holy" month of Ramadan.
Annetta Flanigan of Northern Ireland, left, Filipino diplomat Angelito Nayan, center, and Shqipe Habibi of Kosovo, right, seen in this video released by militant, Sunday, Oct.31, 2004. Militants released a video Sunday showing three frightened foreign U.N. hostages pleading for their release, and threatened to kill them unless United Nations' and British troops leave Afghanistan and Muslim prisoners are freed from U.S. jails. (AP Photo/APTN)
Shqipe Habibi of Kosovo, a kidnapped UN worker, weeps in the video released by militants, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004. Militants released a video Sunday showing three frightened foreign U.N. hostages pleading for their release, and threatened to kill them unless United Nations' and British troops leave Afghanistan and Muslim prisoners are freed from U.S. jails. (AP Photo/APTN)
Annetta Flanigan of Northern Ireland seen in the video released by militants, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004. Militants released a video Sunday showing three frightened foreign U.N. hostages pleading for their release, and threatened to kill them unless United Nations' and British troops leave Afghanistan and Muslim prisoners are freed from U.S. jails. (AP Photo/APTN)
Angelito Nayan, a Filipino diplomat, seen in the video released by militants, Sunday, Oct.31, 2004. Militants released a video Sunday showing three frightened foreign U.N. hostages pleading for their release, and threatened to kill them unless United Nations' and British troops leave Afghanistan and Muslim prisoners are freed from U.S. jails. (AP Photo/APTN)
In light of this barbarism, I think that every civilian worker and every member of the armed forces should have a "tracking" chip put under his/her skin. I'm not a fan of the idea of the I.D. chips and the like, but in light of these kidnappings, at least it would be a way to locate the victim and try to rescue him/her. The chip could be removed when one left the danger zone.
I agree.
Offer yerself in exchange?
I think if I were any kind of aid worker in any Islamic country I would carry cyanide pills with me. They may be able to chop my body up afterward but I would rob them the pleasure of killing me.
How 'bout a freakin' machine gun? If these peacenicks want peace, they gotta smarten up. Sheesh!
The UN hopes............
I say they kill these hostages and we kill theirs. Two or three for every one they kill. Real gruesome, like feeding them to pigs ala Hannible.
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