French journos seen alive

2004-09-08 11:46

Baghdad - French journalists Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot have been seen in the town of Mahmudiyah, 30km south of Baghdad, wearing local garb and bearded, the local al-Sabah al-Jadeed newspaper said on Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted "informed sources" as saying that Iranian consul Fereidoun Jahani, held hostage since August 4, was also with the two journalists.

"The three are currently in Mahmudiyah. The armed group is holding them in isolated buildings in the town. They are all wearing beards and local garbs," the report said.

Also on Wednesday, al-Arabiya television aired a videotape of a group calling itself the Qaeqae Brigades - The Secret Islamic Army, during which masked men appealed for the release of the journalists.

Malbrunot and Chesnot, along with their Syrian driver, were kidnapped on August 20. Their kidnappers are demanding a $5-million ransom for the journalists' release.

The kidnappers had originally demanded the revocation of a controversial ban on the wearing of Moslem headscarves and religious symbols in French schools which went into effect on Thursday. It remained unclear whether they were still calling for that ban to be lifted. - dpa

- SAPA