Leaders of an Afghan militant group holding three UN workers hostage met today to decide whether to kill them or extend a deadline for authorities to meet their demands, a member of the group's leadership council said.
Ms Annetta Flanigan, from Co Armagh, Filipino Mr Angelito Nayan, and Ms Shqipe Hebibi from Kosovo were snatched from a busy street in the capital last Thursday.
The Jaish-e Muslimeen (Army of Muslims) has threatened to kill the trio unless authorities meet a series of demands including the release of all Taliban prisoners, the withdrawal of US troops and the suspension of UN operations in the country.
"The meeting is under way. It will be decided whether to kill them or extend the deadline," Mr Mullah Sabir Momin, a member of the Taliban splinter group's leadership council, said.
If it was decided to kill the hostages, Ms Hebibi would be first to be killed, he said. Asked why, he replied: "She is important." He declined to elaborate.
The group would consider more talks if these were offered by the United Nations or the Afghan government. However, the group had yet to receive a response to its demand that Taliban prisoners be released, he said.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the group expressed frustration with the attitude of the government and the United Nations, and said the hostages were sick and suffering from the cold.