Captors threaten to hand Hassan to Zarqawi group

An unknown militant group holding an Irish-born aid worker Ms Margaret Hassan hostage in Iraq have threatened to turn her over to a group led by al-Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi if Britain did not quit Iraq, Al Jazeera reported tonight.

Zarqawi's group, al-Qaeda Organisation of Holy War in Iraq, is blamed for the bloodiest suicide attacks and hostage beheadings in Iraq.

Al Jazeera said it received a video tape from the group saying it would hand over Ms Hassan to Zarqawi's group within 48 hours "if Britain does not meet its demands, mainly for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq".

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has warned of "dangerous and serious timescales" mentioned in the new video by the kidnappers.

Mr Ahern told the Dáil that Arab television station al-Jazeera was given the film but decided not to broadcast it on humanitarian grounds.

It is understood it shows 59-year-old Ms Hassan pleading for her life directly to camera before suddenly fainting.

A bucket of water is then believed to have been thrown over her head and she is filmed lying wet and helpless on the ground before getting up and crying.

Mr Ahern said he had seen the text of the video and described it as "distressing".

He said: "There were a number of very dangerous and very serious timescales stated."

Earlier the Taoiseach has made another direct appeal to the militant group holding an Irish-born aid worker hostage in Iraq to free her.

Mr Ahern said in a statement this afternoon Ms Hassan, who was kidnapped two weeks ago, was an aid worker who only had the interests of the Iraqi people at heart.

"Through her humanitarian work, she has helped countless numbers of Iraqis," he said. "She has worked tirelessly and selflessly on their behalf."

Mr Ahern said the family of Ms Hassan had "endured enormous distress" since her capture two weeks ago. "I cannot imagine the trauma that Margaret herself has experienced."

Speaking after a meeting with members of Ms Hassan's family at Government Buildings today, Mr Ahern appealed for her to be freed immediately, saying she was an innocent victim of the war in Iraq.

"Margaret has no political associations, she represents no-one except the vulnerable and the poor," he said. "Your quarrel is not with Margaret, nor is it with the Irish people, who have been a firm friend of the Arab nation."

The kidnapped woman's sister, Ms Deirdre Fitzsimons, also pleaded for her release. "We have listened to your demands and begged Tony Blair and the British government to release the women prisoners also not to move the troops," she said. "But we are Irish, and we have no influence on the British government."

Ms Hassan was born in Dublin but grew up in Britain. She is married to an Iraqi, has spent 30 years in the country working for CARE International. The charity announced last week it was ceasing operations in the country.

She was kidnapped on her way to work in Baghdad on October 19th, less than two weeks after British hostage Kenneth Bigley was beheaded.

Al-Jazeera broadcast a statement from the Taoiseach last month appealing for the release of Ms Hassan. The statement was shown hours after the station broadcast a video of a distressed Ms Hassan pleading for help from the British people to save her life. She also appealed to the British people to pressurise Mr Tony Blair to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Ms Hassan was filmed begging for her life and breaking down in tears. Her captors have not yet identified themselves as a group or issued any demands separate from the video.

Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said time was of the essence in this case and time may be short.

Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D Higgins today appealed for her release, saying "I make this appeal as one of those who has opposed the war in Iraw, and who opposed the sanctions that preceded it".

"To those holding her, I say again: the many friends of the Iraqi people ask you to realise the uniqueness of Margaret Hassan's position, to recognise her work over the decades, to accept that it is the Iraqi people who have benefited from her work, and in the worst of times, and that ti is they who lose by her being detained," he said.