Tonight Al Jazeera showed footage of the four westerners kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents. The American, two Canadians and Briton were part of a group called Christian Peace Keepers Team. Kidnapped Saturday in Baghdad, this was the first confirmation that they were still alive. The footage shown initially on Al Jazeera was picked up quickly by Sky News, CNN and later the BBC. The ‘Sword of Righteousness’, as the group describe themselves, have released no demands but call the kidnapped individuals ‘spies’. The Foreign Office said tonight, “We utterly condemn this… and it can only cause further distress at this difficult time”.
Also today, footage of a German citizen and her driver was released to a television station by another unknown Islamic group. They were kidnapped Friday. Also in Iraq, another pilgrim died from wounds inflicted during a shooting on Sunday in Baghdad. The pilgrims had been making their way to a mosque as part of their pilgrimage to the country from Northolt in London, UK.
President Bush speaking today said, “Iraq is the central front on the War on Terror…We’re going to win, they [the terrorists] want us to leave because they want a safe haven, but we must not forget the lessons of September 11th…I want to defeat the terrorists” but with regards to a withdrawal he said, “People don’t want me to make decisions based on politics, people want me to make decisions based on our commanders [view] on the ground.” Asked about accusation of torture committed by the US he said, “The United States of America does not torture and it is important for the people of the world to understand that.”
France meanwhile is strengthening its anti-terror laws. Internet curbs, detention without charge increased to 6 days, routine surveillance photography and further CCTV usage are some of the proposed changes to the French way of life . But civil rights campaigners are critical of the new laws which may not specifically target terrorists.
[18:30 GMT 29/11/2005]
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