Straw: little hopes to rescue Begley, Allawi refuses to release Rihab Taha
Iraq, Politics, 9/24/2004

The Prime minister of the interim Iraqi government Eyad Allawi, decided not to release the woman official in the former regime Rihab Taha, hours after an appeal addressed by the British hostage who is threatened to lose his life if the Iraqi women held in the occupation jails are not freed.

In a statement, the interim Iraqi government announced on Thursday that Allawi will not be subjected to demands by the kidnappers of hostages and does not want to release the Iraqi scientist Rihab Taha, adding that the current discussions on the possibility of releasing Taha has no connections to the demands raised by the kidnappers.

Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad group led by Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi kidnapped this month the two Americans Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley and the British Kenneth Begley and called for releasing the Iraqi women detained in the occupation jails for releasing the three hostages. This was before the execution of the two Americans and showing a tape for Begley on Wednesday appealing the British prime minister Tony Blair pleading to save his life.

For his part, the British foreign office secretary Jack Straw renewed his rejection to negotiate with the kidnappers and called for not pinning hopes on the possibility of rescuing Begley.

In a statement to the BBC, Straw said " Eventually our hearts are with him and his family, But I regret to say this will not change the position of the British government." Meantime, Paul Begley, brother of the British hostage Kenneth Begley accused the Americans of bombarding the possibility of releasing his brother by "preventing the release of detainees" while Begley's family appealed his kidnappers to release him in an appeal via the TV.

In another development, it was announced in Baghdad on Thursday the death of one American soldier because of his wounds he had in an attack in a booby trapped car attack in Baghdad on Wednesday.

A statement by the American army said that four soldiers were admitted for medical treatment following the attack and one of them died in a military hospital as a result of the wounds he had and a fifth soldier was slightly injured.

Previous Stories:
  On the British hostage in Iraq   (9/23/2004)
  Bush condemns beheading hostages operations   (9/23/2004)
  Italy doubts the killing of its two hostages   (9/23/2004)

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