Hostages facing death
2004-07-29 17:33
Baghdad - A militant group holding seven foreign truck drivers hostage said on Thursday it would kill one of the hostages within 24 hours if its demands were not immediately met, according to a video shown on Al-Arabiya television.
The video showed a masked man pointing a rifle at one of the hostages, who was wearing an orange garment similar to ones worn by previous foreign hostages that were killed.
The group, calling itself "The Holders of the Black Banner" said last week it had kidnapped three Kenyans, three Indians and an Egyptian and would begin beheading them last Saturday if the truck drivers' employer did not cease business in Iraq and the hostages' countries did not withdraw all their citizens from Iraq.
In other videos, the kidnappers added to their demands, but also appeared to extend the deadline.
The gunman in the video on Thursday said that no one had contacted the group so it would kill one of the hostages at 19:00 on Friday because they will be considered "fighters who have supported the infidel occupier by transporting their supplies".
- AP