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Journalist's driver executed
16/03/2007 14:10 - (SA)
Kabul - The Afghan driver of a kidnapped Italian journalist was killed after being found guilty of spying, a man claiming to be a top Taliban commander's spokesperson told an Afghan news agency on Friday.
The fate of Italian Daniele Mastrogiacomo and a second Afghan captured on March 4 would be decided late on Friday, the independent Pajhwok Afghan News agency cited the man, identified as Shahbuddin Atal, as saying.
Pahjwok described Atal as a "purported spokesperson for Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah".
AFP could not independently confirm he was a spokesperson for Dadullah, said to be the Taliban's operational commander in the south.
Dadullah said in an interview with AFP last Saturday that the Italian would be killed in seven days unless Italy agreed to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and two captured Taliban spokespeople were released.
An AFP correspondent who has been in contact with Dadullah could not reach him by telephone on Friday to confirm the Pajhwok report.
Yousuf Ahmadi, who regularly speaks to the media on behalf of the Taliban, told AFP earlier on Friday the movement would extend its deadline on the request of the Italians they were negotiating with.
He said there had been progress in the talks.
The Pahjwok report cited Atal as saying the Afghan driver was executed after being found guilty of spying for foreign troops.
The fate of the Italian and other Afghan would be decided in the evening, he was cited as saying.
He said the Taliban were demanding the release of six men, the report said, but did not say who these men were.
- AFP
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