Filipino hostage not freed

2004-07-10 22:19

Doha - Al-Jazeera television on Saturday broadcast a statement attributed to the kidnappers of a Filipino hostage in Iraq threatening to kill him unless Manila proved in 24 hours an intention to pull its troops out of the country.

"The group has extended its ultimatum to the Philippine government to withdraw its troops from Iraq for another 24 hours," said the statement.

"This extension has been given to confirm the Philippine government's intentions to pull out its troops.

"The hostage will be executed unless the Philippine government carries out its promises," it warned.

The group, calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq - Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade, said after the Philippine government proves its intentions, Angelo de la Cruz, 46, "will become a prisoner and will be treated the way prisoners are treated in Islam until the last Philippine soldier leaves Iraq no later than the 20th of this month."

A senior Philippine diplomat in Baghdad confirmed that De la Cruz, a truck driver abducted in Iraq as he entered from Saudi Arabia, has not been released, but said he was "optimistic" he would be freed.

"I have been told that he will be released tomorrow," the diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The dramatic turn of events followed reports from Manila saying President Gloria Arroyo had told De la Cruz's family that he had already been released.

Earlier, the Qatar-based satellite television Al-Jazeera broadcast a tape showing what it said was a "final appeal" by De la Cruz to his government to withdraw from Iraq.

"To President Gloria Arroyo, please withdraw the Philippine soldiers from Iraq," said the hostage dressed in orange garments, the same colour as worn by Islamist suspects held at a US military base in Guanatanamo Bay, Cuba.

This prompted Arroyo's government to issue a statement that it would withdraw its 51 soldiers and policemen from Iraq on August 20 as scheduled, a month later than demanded by the kidnappers' latest statement.

- AFP