New Delhi, August 8
The Iraq hostage crisis got entangled at the last minute late last night just when a resolution of the captives’ ordeal was in sight as the kidnappers yet again made fresh demands.
Till this evening there was no sign of the much-awaited release of the hostages as their captivity at the hands of “Islamic Secret Army: Holders of Black Banners” entered the 19th day.
Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told The Tribune that the impression here was that the delay in the hostages’ release was because the kidnappers’ negotiator, Sheikh Hashim al-Dulaimi, had not been able to establish contact with his principals. They pointed out because of the fluid law and order situation in Iraq, the contact between the captors and their negotiator Dulaimi was not very stable.
It is understood that Sheikh Dulaimi, a tribal leader, has immense political ambitions and the captors have already indicated that they wanted a political role for Dulaimi in the Iraqi government.
National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit is understood to have advised the government not to get involved in the muck of Iraqi politics.
Sources said Kuwait Gulf Link
(KGL) Transport Limited and Sheikh Dulaimi were in touch with each other today also and the Kuwaiti company was, in turn, in touch with the MEA.
They confirmed that the KGL had informed the MEA about the captors’ “new” demands. According to the MEA’s perception, there was nothing new about these demands.
Sources said that the captors’ “new” demands were “adequate compensation” for the 250 families in Fallujah (Iraq) whose kins were killed in American bombings and an immediate release of Iraqi prisoners of war by the Kuwait Government.
All these demands are beyond the scope and powers of KGL. The KGL spokesperson, Ms Rana Abu-Zaineh, was quoted by wire services today as saying that “The new demands are pressure tactics being employed by the kidnappers as they have realised we
will do anything to see our employees freed.” The MEA was informed about fresh complications in the release of hostages by KGL last night after 11 pm. An hour before this, Minister of State for External
Affairs E Ahamed had issued a statement in which he had confirmed that face-to-face negotiations had taken place between Sheikh Al-Dulaimi and senior representatives of the KGL Company “as a result of which the way has reportedly been cleared for the release of the hostages.”
Mr Ahamed had also stated: “It must be appreciated that unless we have authoritative and clear confirmation that the hostages have been released, we must wait with patience and with hope. What I can confirm, however, is that all indications at this juncture point to a positive outcome to the crisis.”
The MEA today issued a single-paragraph press release saying: “We have received reports of contacts between Sheikh Dulaimi and the KGL representatives in the forenoon today. We understand that the company is awaiting further word from Sheikh Dulaimi. As soon as we have details, we shall inform you. We have to remain patient.”
Asked if the MEA was taking Sheikh Dulaimi’s reported remark seriously in which he had admitted that he was a big fan of Indian film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Asha Parakeh and an appeal by them could expedite the hostages’ release, a senior official said that these remarks were probably made in a light vein. The MEA had not got in touch with the film stars mentioned above and did not seem to be in a mood to do so as of now. The Crisis Management Group (CMG) met here under the chairmanship of Mr E Ahamed to discuss the situation arising out of the new demands put forth by the kidnappers.
