A TV grab shows the two Bulgarian hostages being held last week. (AFP)
Posted on 07/13/2004 8:36:02 PM PDT by hole_n_one
A TV grab shows the two Bulgarian hostages being held last week. (AFP) |
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The Bulgarian Government has confirmed that militants in Iraq have executed one of two Bulgarian nationals being held hostage.
Government spokesman Dimitar Tsonev said: "We have confirmation that [the killing] involves one of the two Bulgarian hostages.
"We do not yet have information about which one of the two it is.
"All Bulgarian institutions have done everything possible. Now all we can do for the next 24 hours is to pray for the life of the second Bulgarian hostage," he added.
Truck drivers Ivailo Kepov and Georgy Lazov were taken hostage near the northern Iraqi town of Mosul on Thursday last week.
Their captors threatened to execute them unless US troops freed Iraqi prisoners within 24 hours.
Al Jazeera satellite television has said it had received a video of the beheading of one of the two men.
The group threatened to kill the other Bulgarian hostage unless its demand was met for the release within 24 hours of Iraqi prisoners detained by the US military in Iraq, Al Jazeera said.
Ms Tsonev called efforts to negotiate the men's release "very uneven".
The Bulgarian Government has vowed not to bow to "blackmail".
The tape was purportedly made by the Tahid wal Jihad group (Unity and Holy War) of suspected Al Qaeda operative Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.
Zarqawi is accused of organising dozens of deadly attacks in Iraq.
Bulgaria supported the US-led war in Iraq and has 470 soldiers deployed there as part of what is now a multinational military coalition under US command.
Our condolences and experessions of support should be sent to the Embassy of Bulgaria. We need to show our solidarity with the Government and brave people of Bulgaria which is not capitulating to the terrorist Muslims like the Philippines and Spain.
Here are the relevant contacts:
Embassy of Bulgaria, Washington D.C
1621 22nd Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 387-0174; Fax: (202) 234 7973;
office@bulgaria-embassy.org
consulate@bulgaria-embassy.org
BUMP
BTTT
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