AFGHANISTAN: Militants who have threatened to kill three UN workers, including a woman from Co Armagh, who were seized in Afghanistan almost three weeks ago appeared to narrow demands for their release yesterday and said they would meet later in the day to decide their fate.
Mullah Sabir Momin, a commander of the Jaish-e Muslimeen (Army of Muslims), said the Taliban splinter faction had dropped demands for the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan and the release of Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
But Mullah Momin, one of several militants claiming to speak for the group, said it was still insisting on the release of 15 Taliban members held in southern Afghanistan.
"We have withdrawn from two of our important demands," he said. "This we have done in good faith, because we want the release of our Taliban prisoners and also a safe and peaceful solution to the hostage issue."
Ms Annetta Flanigan from Richhill. Co Armagh, Ms Shqipe Hebibi, a Kosovan, and a Filipino diplomat, Mr Angelito Nayan, were abducted on October 28th after helping run presidential elections that were won by the US-backed incumbent, Mr Hamid Karzai. Jaish-e Muslimeen had previously threatened to kill the hostages unless 26 Taliban prisoners, including some who could be in US custody in Cuba or Afghanistan, were freed.
The US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Richard Armitage, ruled out any US releases when he said last week that compromise would lead to more kidnappings. A Jaish leader, Akbar Agha, said his group's Shura, or council, met overnight to discuss the hostages' fate, but did not reach a decision. He said they would meet again later yesterday, but there was no immediate word on these talks. He said that in the overnight meeting some had proposed killing the hostages immediately, while others thought the government should be given one more chance to meet the demands.
"I personally am not in a favour of executing them," he said. "We can keep them weeks, months and even years. We have enough resources and places."
- (Reuters)