Bulgarians kidnapped in Iraq

2004-07-09 07:25

Sofia - Jordanian militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatened on Friday to execute two Bulgarians if the US military did not release all Iraqi detainees within 24 hours.

The Tawhid and Jihad group sent Al-Jazeera the tape showing two unidentified Bulgarians sitting with their hands cuffed, flanked by three masked men, two carrying rifles and one carrying a rocket propelled grenade launcher. On the wall behind them was their group's black flag with a golden circle.

One of the men read a statement, though his voice could not be heard. Al-Jazeera's newsreader said the group demanded the release of all Iraqi detainees within 24 hours.

The Tawhid and Jihad group previously claimed responsibility for the beheading of US businessman Nicholas Berg and South Korean translator Kim Sun-il.

Kidnapping confirmed

It was also believed to be behind a series of attacks on police and security forces in Iraq that killed 100 people in the days leading up to the coalition forces' handover of power to an Iraqi interim government last month.

The Foreign Ministry in Sofia confirmed early on Friday that two Bulgarians have been kidnapped in Iraq.

Ministry spokesperson Victoria Melamed identified the two as Ivaylo Kepov and Georgi Lazov, who were in Iraq working as truck drivers for a private company.

The two Bulgarians work for a trade company from the Bulgarian city of Blagoevgrad. They were driving trucks loaded with used cars to be sold in Iraq, Melamed said.

They were kidnapped as they were en route to the Iraqi city of Mosul, coming from Bulgaria via Turkey and Syria, Melamed added. Their schedule said they should be in Mosul on June 29. The two last contacted their company on June 28.

It was unclear how old the men are.

Bulgaria has a 480-member infantry unit in Iraq, under Polish command in the city of Karbala in central Iraq. Its main duties are patrolling the centre of the city and guarding public buildings.

- AP