Hostages' relatives threaten to kill abductees' employer

[floda]

By Fadi Khalil, Associated Press Writer

AMMAN, Jordan - Relatives of two Jordanian drivers abducted in Iraq threatened today to behead the director of the company the hostages work for and to kill all the firm's employees if the director fails to immediately comply with the kidnappers' demands to cease operations in Iraq.

Fayez Saad al-Udwan and Ahmed Salama Hassan - who work as drivers for the private Jordanian company Daoud and Partners - were kidnapped Monday by a group calling itself the Mujahedeen Corps in Iraq. The group warned the captives would be killed within 72 hours unless their employer withdrew from Iraq and stopped cooperating with U.S forces.

The company provides construction and catering services to the U.S. military in Iraq.

Al-Udwan's brother, Omar, said: "We told the firm's executive director, Rami al-Ouweiss, that if he does not comply with the kidnappers' demands today, his company and the lives of his employees will not be spared."

more...

http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2004/07/27/news/news21.txt

[Barrett808]

1. Seems to have worked: "Jordanian Firm Plans to Leave Iraq"

Jordanian Firm Plans to Leave Iraq

AMMAN, Jordan - The chief executive a Jordanian firm working for the U.S. military in Iraq (news - web sites) said Tuesday he would pull out of the country to win the release of two employees kidnapped by militants and threatened with decapitation.

"I am ceasing operations and pulling out from the company's premises in Iraq for humanitarian reasons, and out of my concern for the safety and the lives of my two employees who were kidnapped in Iraq," Rami al-Ouweiss told The Associated Press.

...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040727/ap_on_re_mi_ea/jordan_iraq_hostages

[Disturbed]

3. Yes, his concern.

"for humanitarian reasons, and out of my concern for the safety and the lives of my two employees who were kidnapped in Iraq."

Right. It had nothing to do with his concerns for his own life.

[Az_lefty]

2. This is a whole new twist..........n/t

[SoCalDem]

4. Well, this has turned out pretty awful, hasn't it ??

Thanks, George..for the fine job of interfering.:(

[geek tragedy]

5. Isn't that kind of threat um, like, illegal or something? n/t

[w4rma]

6. Privatation of the military. This is one reason it doesn't work. (nt)

[Dover]

7. Well now, that's an interesting twist. Attack the hostage's employer..

I suppose the family's threats were believable. I doubt that American family members would be that agressive.