BAGHDAD: A group that kidnapped five British men in Baghdad nearly two years ago claims a deal is in place to release the hostages in exchange for prisoners being held by US forces in Iraq.
“There is an agreement between Britain and the US and our group,” Abu Ali, a leader of the Shiite Iraqi movement claiming to hold the hostages, said in an interview with Arabic online newspaper Elaph published on Thursday. “One of the hostages will be released very soon after the British side carries out its promise to us to convince the American side to release 10 of our leaders,” he said.
The British embassy in Baghdad yesterday said it was aware of the report but would not comment on “ongoing events.” “We are doing everything we can to release the hostages and we encourage the hostage-takers to release them unconditionally so that they can be reunited with their families,” an embassy spokesman told AFP.
The interview emerged after a video of one of the captives, IT consultant Peter Moore, was sent last week to the embassy by the kidnappers.
“If things go well, another hostage will be released very soon as well, in exchange for a group of Sadrist detainees,” Abu Ali said in a reference to supporters of the Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr.
Among the men the group wants released from US custody are Laith Al-Khazaali, Hassan Salem, Rahim Al-Shamoosi, Saad Sewar, and a Lebanese explosives expert named Ali Mussa Daqduq.
