Much more to come in Iraq hostage crisis |
By Syed Saleem Shahzad KARACHI - The surge in hostage-taking in Iraq, with the most recent involving two Pakistani nationals, could be the prelude to many, as hundreds of foreigners are missing in the country, a number of whom are believed to have already been taken by the Iraqi resistance to be displayed later.The capture of the two Pakistanis also serves as a warning that the citizens of Muslim countries will be targeted if they "collaborate" with the United States, even in the most tenuous way as civilian workers in the country. Sajid Naeem, 29, a driver, and Raja Azad, 49, an engineer, went missing in Iraq on Friday after a convoy of trucks in which they were traveling was attacked. The two men work for al-Tamimi, a legal firm based in the United Arab Emirates. An Iraqi militant group calling itself the Islamic Army of Iraq said it had taken the two for working for US forces and sentenced them to death because Pakistan was discussing sending soldiers to Iraq. Pakistan is considering sending about 1,000 troops under United Nations cover to guard UN premises all over Iraq. However, Islamabad has also been said to be considering dispatching up to 10,000 "non-combatant" troops for peacekeeping purposes. This would take place once three other Muslim countries, Yemen, Morocco and Jordan, fulfilled their promises to provide troops for Iraq to join up with soldiers from more than 30 countries (none of them Muslim) already under US command in Iraq. Previously, an Iraqi resistance group abducted Pakistani national Amjad Hafeez, but being a Muslim they let him go. Similarly, on Monday, Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb, the third-highest Egyptian diplomat in Iraq, who had been abducted outside a mosque last Friday, was released "because of the religious faith and moral qualities he possesses", according to a taped message from the Lions of Allah Brigade broadcast on alJazeera television. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited Cairo last week reportedly to discuss the option of using Egyptian troops to train Iraq's forces. The hostage-takers are unlikely to be as lenient should Pakistan and other Muslim countries actually commit troops. According to the latest available information, two Pakistanis, an Egyptian, three Indians, two Kenyans and two Jordanians are being held. A group calling itself the Bearers of the Black Banners said it was holding the Egyptians, Indians and three Kenyans. It says the detained men all drove trucks for the Kuwaiti company al-Tamimi, which supports the US military in Iraq by transporting supplies. The two Jordanians, also truck drivers, were kidnapped and threatened with execution by a group calling itself the Mujahideen Corps. According to a taped message from the kidnappers aired by Associated Press Television Network, if the Jordanian construction and catering company they work for, Daoud and Partners, does not stop doing business with the US military, the men will be killed. The Times of India, quoting the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), said more than 100 Pakistanis were missing in Iraq. These include job-seekers lured by a broker to work in the European Union. "But when they reached Iraq, the agent dumped them there owing to the US-led invasion," sources in Pakistan told KUNA. "Since then, they have been stranded there. Some have managed to escape, while others have been taken hostage." That Pakistanis were in Iraq first became known when the parents of two missing cousins - Nadeem Hameed and Arshad Haieder - approached the government and the International Ansar Burney Welfare Trust (IABWT) seeking help for their release, the paper maintained, quoting KUNA. Speaking to Asia Times Online in a telephone interview, the head of IABWT, Ansar Burney, said he had recently visited Iraq and his investigations revealed that more than 400 Pakistani pilgrims and other visitors had reached Iraq via the Iran border without visas, and their whereabouts was not known. "I was contacted by the family members here in Pakistan whose relatives visited Iraq as pilgrims or as job-seekers as they heard rumors that under US administration new jobs would be created and dished out to them. Since there were no restrictions at the borders, no visas or anything, as a result I personally witnessed a large number of people from different countries walking into Iraq. The chances of infiltration cannot be ruled out in this kind of a situation as well," Burney maintained. He said that during his stay in Iraq he found the country in complete chaos and anarchy. Recently he received information that a few Pakistani pilgrims had been detained by US forces as terror suspects, and he was soon going back to Iraq to seek their release. He said that of the hundreds of missing Pakistanis, there was a strong possibility that many had already been abducted and were being held in "private jails" to be used as bargaining chips for future demands. This could also be the case for other nationals, he said. The hostage-taking tactic has had success already. So far this year more than 60 foreigners have been abducted in Iraq. While most have been freed - at least six have been killed - disturbing videotapes have been aired by their captors to pressure their countries against doing business with the US military, or sending troops to Iraq. The broadcast of a tape showing abducted Filipino Angelo de la Cruz led to large demonstrations in Manila. These were followed by withdrawal of the small cadre of soldiers the Philippines had dispatched to Iraq. This was seen again in the reaction in South Korea to Kim Sun-il's video of his desperate plea for his life. Demonstrations pressured the government to reconsider any ties to the US-led occupation of Iraq. Graphic videos, such as that of the US businessman Nick Berg's head being sawn off, have incited political dissent. The resistance appears to be attempting to shrink the supply of foreign workers and militaries supporting the US occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. With fewer foreign workers and troops, US forces are forced to take on more responsibilities, while also fighting insurgents. Press Back on your browser to Return
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