Iraq hostage's death deadline passes without word

1.00pm - By DEAN YATES

BAGHDAD - A militant group's deadline to kill a Filipino hostage in Iraq passed on Sunday without any word on his fate, after Manila rejected demands for an early withdrawal of its US-allied troops.

However, in a glimmer of hope for two Bulgarians held hostage, Sofia said they were still alive after an execution deadline set by their kidnappers expired.

The Islamic Army in Iraq group holding Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz had vowed to kill him unless Manila pledged by 11pm on Sunday (7am today NZT) to pull its 51-strong humanitarian force out of Iraq by July 20.

Arabic satellite television station Al Arabiya broadcast an apparently day-old video tape of a masked man holding a curved sword and reading out the deadline and the group's demand.

However, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a staunch ally of the United States, and her government stood firm.

"In line with our commitment to the free people of Iraq, we reiterate our plan to return our humanitarian contingent as scheduled on August 20, 2004," Philippine Foreign Secretary Delia Albert told a news conference in Manila.

Philippine officials said they had received no information on de la Cruz since the deadline passed.

De la Cruz, 46, had appeared close to release on Saturday before his captors issued the new death threat.

Officials had said he was being taken to a Baghdad hotel, prompting premature celebrations by his family and friends.

Relatives of de la Cruz were angry with Arroyo.

"She should save my uncle's life and not consider what benefits she might get from supporting the US war in Iraq," Wilma de la Cruz, the hostage's niece, told reporters at the family's house in the rural Pampanga province, north of Manila.

Relatives and friends of the hostage prayed at his house.

Senior Bulgarian diplomats arrived in Baghdad to try to save the lives of truck drivers Georgi Lazov, 30, and Ivailo Kepov, 32, being held hostage by militants demanding US-led forces in Iraq free prisoners.

Lazov and Kepov had faced a Friday night execution deadline.

"Now I can confirm the information, which has been received three hours ago (9pm NZT) that our compatriots are alive," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said in Sofia.

Al Jazeera television showed a video tape last week of the two men in front of masked captors identified as members of the Tawhid and Jihad group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, accused by Washington of links to al Qaeda.

Kidnappers have seized dozens of foreigners since April to press demands for foreign troops to leave. Many hostages have been freed but at least three have been killed, including an American and a South Korean beheaded by Zarqawi's group.

While the hostage crisis tested the wills of Iraq's new interim government, Washington and US allies with troops in the country, three American soldiers were killed in two separate incidents involving roadside bombs.

More than 650 US troops have died in combat since the US-led invasion in March last year to oust Saddam Hussein.

Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's interim government, which took over from US-led occupiers on June 28, is heavily dependent on some 160,000 mainly American foreign troops for security while it builds up its fledgling forces.

Iraq's national security adviser told a news conference unconventional weapons material might have gone to neighbouring states during the US-led war, adding Zarqawi was probably trying to obtain some.

"Just imagine if these weapons of mass destruction or any of these capabilities of making a dirty bomb or a chemical weapon or anything like this, if it falls in the hands of Zarqawi's gangsters and Zarqawi's people," said Mowaffaq al-Rubaie. He did not elaborate.

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told reporters after meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus that their countries had agreed to co-operate to seal their long desert border to stop foreign militants infiltrating into Iraq.

Washington accuses Syria of not doing enough to stop militants crossing into Iraq. Damascus denies the charge, one of the reasons for US economic sanctions imposed on Syria in May.

Masked gunmen led hundreds of Iraqis who demonstrated in support of Saddam in the town of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad.

"We sacrifice our souls and blood for you, Saddam," they shouted.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq