Group takes six hostages in Iraq: Al-Arabiya


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BAGHDAD, July 21 (Xinhuanet) -- A militant group said Wednesday it had kidnapped six foreigners, including three Indians, two Kenyans and an Egyptian, in Iraq, threatening to behead them if the Kuwaiti firm for which they work does not pull out of the country, Dubai-based al-Arabiya news channel said.

  None of those countries were part of the multinational forces inIraq.

  The Dubai-based television reported the news while airing a tape of what it said were the masked captors and their hostages.

  "We announce we have captured two Kenyans, three Indians and one Egyptian. We tell the company to withdraw and close its offices inIraq," said one masked man belong to the group calling itself "Black Flags".

  The captors also demanded that India, Kenya and Egypt withdraw their personnel from Iraq, vowing to behead one hostage every three days if their demands were not met.

  "We have warned all the countries, companies, businessmen andtruck drivers that those who deal with American cowboy occupiers will be targeted by the fires of the Mujahedeen," the group said in a statement, adding "here you are once again transporting, goods, weapons and military equipment that backs the US Army."

  The gunman said their company should withdraw from Iraq and closes its offices there, threatening to kill a hostage every 72 hours if it does not.

  The video showed an Egyptian who said his name was Mohammed Ali Sanad pleading with his company to leave.

  The statement came a day after militants released Filipino hostage Angelo de la Cruz after his country complied to theirdemand and pulled its 51-member force out of Iraq.

  Iraqi and US officials sharply criticised the pullout saying it would encourage militants to take more hostages to force trucking companies and other contractors to leave Iraq.

  A wave of hostage-taking has tested countries involved in Iraq as an American, a South Korean and a Bulgarian have been beheaded by agroup led by militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.  Enditem

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Really to be expected - these people want freedom from the Coalition, they know now that hostage negotiations can work, so they figure - Let's try that again!

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I told you this would happen in the other thread. Thank the Phillipines.

Actually no....

The first hostage was taken and beheaded because demands were not met. By your logic, they should have stopped as they saw it was ineffective. They did not stop and in fact took several hother hostages for the same purpose.

But a scapegoat would be mighty handy at this point, so....

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Coalition knew what they were getting into... let them handle the consequences of their own actions.

I feel sorry for the hostages though... they went to Iraq following orders, but too bad that's the only way for Iraqis to negotiate.

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The first hostage was taken and beheaded because demands were not met. By your logic, they should have stopped as they saw it was ineffective. They did not stop and in fact took several hother hostages for the same purpose.

But a scapegoat would be mighty handy at this point, so....

They finally had success. After failed kidnappings and beheadings, they finally won, so it makes sense they take more hostages now in hopes they will succeed again.

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They finally had success.  After failed kidnappings and beheadings, they finally won, so it makes sense they take more hostages now in hopes they will succeed again.

They would've taken another hostage whether that Phillipino was killed or not :rolleyes:

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They would've taken another hostage whether that Phillipino was killed or not

Of course they would have, but now they have more confidence that they can change the way governments operate. The Phillipines did not help this situation.

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They finally had success. After failed kidnappings and beheadings, they finally won, so it makes sense they take more hostages now in hopes they will succeed again.

No, past history indicates that the hostage executions showed every sign of continuing, philippines or not.

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No, past history indicates that the hostage executions showed every sign of continuing, philippines or not.

And you don't think the success they had with the Phillipines encourages them?

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And you don't think the success they had with the Phillipines encourages them?

Can't speak to that, as I don't know for certain. But in that vein, apparently the US refusal to accede to their demands did not deter them. So, why would they stop? They care little if someone on the alliance's side has to die.

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