Islamic Organization calls for immediate release of French journalists held in Iraq

The Rabat-based Islamic Educational, scientific and cultural Organization (ISESCO) has urged "the Iraqi group" that abducted two French journalists to release them without delay, in a statement released Monday.

ISESCO, an offshoot of the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), warned that maintaining the two French journalists in captivity will not serve the interests of the Iraqi people, and will, on the contrary, "seriously harm the cause of the Iraqi people and the image of Islam and Muslims in the world."

ISESCO insists that Islam is a religion that banishes abduction and aggression and preaches peace, security, tolerance and co-existence between peoples.

The two French journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, are being held hostage since August 20 by militants of a group calling themselves the Islamic Army in Iraq. They demanded revocation, within 48 hours, of a controversial law banning on Muslims wearing headscarves at French school.