More beheading threats
2004-06-20 22:31
Baghdad - Al-Jazeera television aired a video on Sunday of a purported South Korean hostage in Iraq, begging for his life and pleading with his government to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
The kidnappers, who identified themselves as a group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have given South Korea 24 hours to meet their demands or "we will send you the head of this Korean", identified as Kim Soong Il.
"Please, get out of here," the man screamed in English. "I don't want to die, I don't want to die... My life is important."
An al-Jazeera staff member at the network headquarters in Qatar, Mohammed al-Saadi, said that the two-minute videotape was sent to al-Jazeera bureau in Baghdad by mail.
"Our office in Baghdad received an unknown package; they opened it and they found the tape," al-Saadi said.
The group identified itself as Monotheism and Jihad, believed to be led by al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born terrorist believed linked to al-Qaeda.
"Our message to you Korean government and people," a speaker said in Arabic. "We demand you to withdraw your forces from our land. Don't send more troops to this land or we will send you the head of this Korean."
It gave Seoul 24 hours starting from Sunday night to meet its demand.
South Korea announced on Friday that it will send 3 000 soldiers to northern Iraq beginning in early August to assist the US-led coalition.
Once the deployment is complete, South Korea will be the largest coalition partner after the United States and Britain.
The following day, South Korea warned its people not to travel to Iraq, saying its decision to send troops to the country might prompt terror attacks on South Koreans.
The government warning came amid news of the beheading of US hostage Paul Johnson by Saudi militants, although it didn't mention the incident.
"At this time, we cannot rule out the possibility of harm to our nationals, following the official announcement of the additional troop dispatch to Iraq," foreign ministry spokesperson Shin Bong-kil said.
"The government urges the people to refrain from visiting Iraq," it said.
- AP