Two German engineers kidnapped in Iraq

The German foreign minister Franc Walter said that there are indications that two German engineers in Iraq have been kidnapped but he could not confirm the reports of the Iraqi security officials which confirmed the kidnapping in Beji to the north of Tikrit city.

The German foreign minister said that "if the kidnapping operation is confirmed the German government will exert all efforts to ensure their return back safely." While an anonymous official in the German government said that the two engineers are from Leibzeg, in east Germany.

The two engineers, in addition to two Iraqis, were kidnapped while they were on their way to one of the oil refineries.

One Iraqi police officer said that at least 6 men wearing the uniform of the Iraqi security forces manning two cars broke into the place of the two engineers and took them northward to Beji city, according to one guard at the refinery, while another official at the refinery said that the two engineers have been just three days at their job.

Since the fall of Baghdad in March 2003, some 250 foreigners were kidnapped in Iraq of whom 54 were killed while other 50 are believed to be held including the female American journalist Jill Carol whose father appealed her kidnappers, via the web site of her newspaper "Christian Science Monitor" in email to notify them how to start the dialogue for her release.

Meantime, the kidnappers of the Jordanian Mahmoud Salman Sueidat called on the Jordanian authorities to release the Iraqi woman Sahedaj al Reishawi who is accused of taking part in the execution of Amman's explosion in November 2005.