Turkish captives released

2004-06-29 12:02

Baghdad, Iraq - The extremist group responsible for beheading two foreign hostages has announced it is releasing three Turkish captives "for the sake of their Muslim brothers", al-Jazeera television said on Tuesday.

The Arab satellite station broadcast a videotape showing the three Turkish hostages, believed to have been contractors, kneeling in front of three members of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad movement, as one of the militants read a statement.

"For the sake of you, our brothers, and Muslims of the people of Turkey ... we will release these hostages and send them safely home," the statement said.

Supporters of al-Zarqawi, a suspected al-Qaida terrorist, said on Saturday that they would behead the Turkish hostages within 72 hours unless Turkish companies stopped doing business with American forces in Iraq.

They also called for large demonstrations in Turkey against the war and US President George W Bush, who is attending a NATO summit in Turkey. The following day, Turkey's defence minister, Vecdi Gonul, reportedly said Turkey would not give in to terrorists' threats.

Turkish media reports have identified the three as Mustafa Bal, Mehmet Bakir and Abdulselam Bakir, all Turkish Kurds from Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast.

The militants said they decided to free the Turks "after they pledged not to support the non-believers again", meaning stop working for US forces.

"Please stop your silly (leaders) from cooperating with the occupying enemy, or else we will execute the punishment," the statement added.

- AP