Posted on 09/23/2004 7:33:41 PM PDT by familyop
Concern was mounting last night over the fate of two Italian aid workers kidnapped in Baghdad a fortnight ago, after two separate statements appeared on the internet claiming that the women had been killed.
Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, both 29, were seized with two of their Iraqi colleagues in daylight from their office in central Baghdad on September 7. They had been working in Iraq for several months for the aid agency Bridge to Baghdad.
Statements from two separate groups appeared on different websites yesterday, each claiming the murders. Some statements, supposedly from militant groups in Iraq, have proven to be false in the past.
The first statement came in the early hours of yesterday from a group calling itself the Jihad Organisation, and claimed the women had been killed because Rome refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
"We in the Jihad Organisation in Iraq announce that God's verdict has been passed on the two Italian prisoners by slaughtering, after the Italian government headed by the vile Berlusconi did not listen to our one condition to withdraw from Iraq," it said.
A group calling itself the Islamic Jihad Organisation had announced on September 12 that it was holding the women and would kill them within 24 hours unless Italian forces withdrew from the country.
Later the second message appeared, this time from a group called Ansar al-Zawahri.
"The two Italian spies have been decapitated with a knife and without any sympathy or mercy," it said. In a long statement it promised a video of the killings would follow.
A group with the same name had also claimed responsibility for seizing the women, demanding the release of all Muslim women from Iraqi jails. The name Zawahri seems to refer to Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden's right-hand man.
The case of the Italians has remained a puzzle. Several Iraqi officials, including the prime minister, Ayad Allawi, have suggested the aid workers were abducted by a criminal gang, rather than more a sophisticated Islamist militant group like the one holding Kenneth Bigley. Some have suggested rogue Iraqi security forces were involved.
In Rome Pierferdinando Casini, the Speaker of parliament's lower house, said the government was treating the claims with "total suspicion".
A separate statement from the government said militants were trying to use the media as part of their campaign, and urged "the maximum caution, care and responsibility".
The aid workers were the first women to be taken hostage in Iraq; their kidnapping sparked outrage in Baghdad as well as Rome.
"What has happened is terrible, especially because this was a humanitarian organisation that came to help the Iraqis," said Sabah Kadhim, Iraq's interior ministry spokesman.
Ten days before the women were seized, an Italian journalist, Enzo Baldoni, was kidnapped as he drove to Najaf with the Italian Red Cross. He was later murdered and his body dumped by the roadside.
Bridge to Baghdad said yesterday it prayed the claims of the killings were false: "Until we have certainty, we will not have peace."
When you here about these barbarians, just think what a suicide bomber driving a truck with a nuke in the back would be capable of doing.
Ping and bump.
This is such BS.
We need to send Saddam's head to al-Zawahri. They will run in fear and that wil be the end of it.
I'm inclined to agree.
These bastards are holding civilians hostage to broker getting women - who were known to work on and develop chemical weapons - free. And what do they do? Take women, with good hearts and intentions, as hostages.
Not only should we send them Saddams head on a plate. But also the heads of the women they want released.
Time to call off this PC war, and fight fire with fire.
This is so unbeleivable! How many innocents are they going to kidnap and do this barbaric act to? BOMB these cities now not later...
I don't believe it. Even these guys wouldn't be that stupid.
I am hoping that after Bush is re-elected, the PC war crap will go right out the window. I think after he gets back into office the gloves will come off and there will be some serious ass kicking going on.
Dittos from me. Put his head on a pike where it belongs.
The statement was posted behind the following URI address.
http://www.alezah.com/vb/
Also, a post to another site earlier, reportedly from "Jihad Organization, said that the women were already "slaughtered."
...that info from my next post on this topic (extended news, not far up the list from the post above).
Such brave Islamic warriors.
Don't count on that.
Yep, I think so, too. I think there are many who are in the military chomping at the bit to be let loose.
Islamic scum always choose civilians, women, children, and other most vulnerable in societies to treat with brutality and practise their babarity on.
Which says a great deal about their view of themselves.
And, BTW, I saw a mention of "Jihad Organization" regarding another incident a few weeks ago. ...can't remember anything else on that, offhand.
Or maybe it was only a few days ago (re. "Jihad Organization"). Maybe a search or two will reveal something on that.
If Bush loses, these guys are going to have a real rought December. Bush and Iraqi's leaders won't trust Kerry to stay the course, and will take drastic measures to cripple the terrorists before W boards Marine One for the last time.
Not that I think that's gonna happen—and these puke terrorists are dead either way.
Impoverished contract laborers, female aid workers, russian schoolchildren... these guys are really building up their fan base. Is Michael Moore still comparing them to our Minutemen?
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