NYT: Iraqis Postpone Conference as Kidnappings Rise

[kskiska]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 29 - Iraq postponed a major national conference billed as one of its first steps toward democracy and national reconciliation on Thursday, as the epidemic of kidnappings widened sharply with insurgents announcing that they had kidnapped five more foreign hostages.

Kidnapping has grown into a major tactic in the conflict here, with roughly 20 people taken hostage since the Philippine government withdrew its troops from Iraq last week to save the life of an abducted Filipino truck driver.

The day after two Pakistani hostages were executed, a group calling itself the Death Squad of the Iraqi Resistance said Thursday that it had kidnapped four Jordanians and would take "appropriate measures" if the transport company they worked for did not shut down operations in Iraq, according to a videotape delivered to Dubai Television.

Also on Thursday, a group led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who has claimed responsibility for killing several hostages, said it had kidnapped a Somali truck driver and threatened to behead him unless the Kuwaiti company he works for did not also cease operations here.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/30/international/middleeast/30iraq.html?hp

[thebigidea]

1. just like aghanistan... they want this thug Allawi

well, lets see what President Kerry does about it...

[REVOLT823]

2. Not good, the insurgents are now controlling

events in Iraq, I think things are quickly spiraling out of control but our media and gov will not let us know that