Jordan Times
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
Jordanian hostage's captors give another three-day ultimatum
Government 'exerting maximum efforts' to ensure Saaidat's safety; hostage's family appeals for release
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
with agency dispatches
AMMAN — The kidnappers of a Jordanian embassy driver in Iraq gave a new three-day ultimatum to execute him if the government fails to release a would-be suicide bomber.
The government, meanwhile, reiterated that it was exerting “maximum efforts” to win Mahmoud Salman Saaidat's freedom as his family issued a new appeal to the kidnappers to spare him.
Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said the government was in contact with several Iraqi parties to ensure the safety of Saaidat, who was snatched in southern Baghdad on Dec. 20.
Judeh, however, declined to go into details regarding any communications with the hostage-takers, noting that the authorities were studying the video footage showing the hostage and the captors released Tuesday by the Dubai-based Al Arabiya satellite channel.
A brother of the hostage confirmed that the man shown by the channel was indeed his brother, urging abductors to be merciful.
Hassan Saaidat, 31, said the entire family was “caught by surprise” when they saw their son on Al Arabiya.
“I call on them to release my brother because he is their Muslim brother,” Saaidat told The Jordan Times.
Saaidat said his mother was kept unaware of the video footage “because she would be devastated to see her son in such a bad shape.”
“Whenever we feel news channels would mention Mahmoud, we change the channel to keep my mother unaware of what is happening.”
According to the video footage, the abductors gave another three-day ultimatum for Jordan to free a would-be suicide bomber before killiing Saaidat.
“They threatened to kill the hostage unless the Jordanian government fulfils their demands... within three days,” the Dubai-based Al Arabiya reported.
The channel showed a short video clip of the hostage sitting on a chair in front of three masked gunmen, including one who appeared to be reading a message from their group, identified as the “Hawks Brigade.”
On Dec. 24, the same group gave Jordan an initial three-day ultimatum — but without the death threat — in a videotape also screened by Al Arabiya news channel.
The kidnappers are demanding the release of an Iraqi woman accused of involvement in triple suicide bombings in Amman on Nov. 9.
Iraqi Sajida Atrous Rishawi was arrested for her suspected involvement in the suicide bomb attacks that killed 60 people and were claimed by Al Qaeda group of Jordanian militant Abu Mussab Zarqawi.
In a confession broadcast on Jordanian television, Rishawi said her explosive belt failed to work as her husband blew himself up at the Radisson SAS Hotel.
The authorities last month rejected any possibility of negotiating with the hostage-takers.