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Thursday, July 08, 2004
Filipino taken hostage in Iraq: media report (9:30 a.m.)
DOHA -- A Filipino abducted in Iraq will be executed unless the Philippines withdraws its troops from the country within 72 hours, an Arabic television network reported Wednesday.
Video footage from Al-Jazeera, a local television network, showed the kidnapped Filipino cowering on his knees. A Saudi company working with US troops based in Iraq employs him.
He was kidnapped by an armed group calling itself the "Khaled Ibn al-Walid Brigade" linked to the "Islamic Army in Iraq," Al-Jazeera said.
The pan-Arab television station broadcast footage of a man sitting on his knees, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, surrounded by three masked men touting guns and reading their threat from a statement.
The group said it had killed an Iraqi security guard who was with the Filipino.
An identity card bearing the picture of an Iraqi and a company card on which was written: Al-Ghadeer Security Service Company. Hafidh H. Amer, Security Officer, was also shown by Al-Jazeera.
On Tuesday, the Philippines special envoy to the Middle East, Roy Cimatu, said he would recommend that President Arroyo keeps Manila's small troop contingent in Iraq.
Last month, Arroyo, a leading Asian ally of the United States, said she hoped the handover of sovereignty to Iraq would lessen violence against foreign nationals.
There are also more than 3,000 Filipino civilian workers stationed at US facilities in Iraq.
Three Filipino workers have been killed and three soldiers wounded in Iraq since last year's US-led invasion.
Manila originally deployed a 96-man security contingent in Iraq late last year as part of its commitment to rehabilitating the war-torn country.
Around half of them have already returned, but a replacement force could be deployed once a decision is made this month.(AFP)
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