'Divine Anger' snatch top Iraqi
2004-08-25 20:03
Doha - A group, calling itself "Brigades of Divine Anger", claims to have abducted an in-law of the Iraqi defence minister and one of his relatives.
The group has demanded the release of a top aide to Shiite rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr, reported Al-Jazeera TV on Wednesday, showing footage of the presumed hostages.
The shadowy group "announced it had abducted General Salah Hassan Zaidan al-Lami, an in-law of Iraqi defence minister Hazem al-Shaalan, who is in charge of military personnel affairs at the defence ministry, and one of his relatives," it said.
"The captors demanded, in a video received by Al-Jazeera, a halt to military operations in Najaf and the release of Sheikh Ali Smeisim, who was arrested by Iraqi authorities" earlier on Wednesday.
The video showed the two presumed hostages, with two gunmen partly seen in the background.
Iraqi police said Smeisim was arrested in the besieged holy city of Najaf.
- AFP