One of two captive Palestinians - a Canadian

Jerusalem Post ^ | Apr. 10, 2004 | JPOST.COM STAFF

[yonif]

Two more US soldiers and several US citizens have been announced missing by Pentagon officials, reported Army Radio Saturday morning.

Witnesses say 9 people were killed when a convoy was attacked, resulting in the reported abduction of the Americans.

Meanwhile, one of two Palestyinian abductees being held by Iraqi militants is – in fact – a Canadian using false credentials. Ahmed Yassin Tickati's real name is Hissan Fadel, and the Canadian government has announced it is acting towards his release.

Palestinian cabinet member Saeb Arekat said Friday that the Palestinian Administration is working towards the release of the captive Palestinians, while Israeli officials denied the two were Israeli agents, and they had gone to Iraq of their own accord as subcontractors for the US-AID organization..

In reaction to an Iraqi statement that 4 Italian nationals had also been kidnapped, the Italian foreign office issued a statement Friday evening that none of its citizens in Iraq had been reported missing.

On Friday, a Reuters journalist based in Iraq told an Italian television network Friday that militants told one of the agency's reporters that they were holding four Italians and two Americans hostage. Italian officials could not confirm the report.

The Reuters journalist, Luke Baker, told Sky TG24 news network that the Iraqi reporter from the bureau saw and spoke to two people held at a mosque in the Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib.

Italy's Defense Ministry said all its troops were accounted for. Military officials with the Italian deployment in the southern city of Nasiriyah had no information on the report. The Foreign Ministry was looking into the report, but also could not confirm it.

Also, the ANSA news agency said Italian Red Cross members, non-governmental organization workers and journalists were all accounted for.

Also, the Japanese government has sent envoys to coordinate the release of three Japanese abductees. Iraqi kidnappers have threatened to burn the three alive unless Japanese forces are withdrawn from Iraq.

And seven South Korean priests were released over the week after Iraqi clerics claimed the seven were doctors sent to assist Iraqis. The South Korean ambassador met them at the Palestine hotel upon their release and reported they were in good condition.

With Associated Press

[Loyalist]

Paul Martin flies foreign flags of convenience on his ships; no wonder he lets terrorists use Canada's flag the same way.