An Islamist group claiming to hold two Italian women in Iraq said it was giving Rome another 24 hours to pullout its troops from Iraq or the pair would be executed, according to a statement on an Islamist website Sunday.
It was the second group to claim responsibility for the kidnapping of charity workers Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, both aged 29, who were abducted from their office in Baghdad last Tuesday.
"After we gave (Italian Prime Minister Silvio) Berlusconi 12 hours to meet our conditions for the release of the two prisoners, we now renew the duration for another 24 hours from the time of issuing this statement," said the group which named itself the Islamic Jihad Organisation in Iraq.
"If we don't see the Italian troops withdraw from the land of Iraq, we will implement Allah's judgment on them, which will be slaughter," it added.
A statement in the name of the Ansar al-Zawahiri group on Friday gave Rome 24 hours to promise to release Muslim women prisoners in Iraq in return for information about the two Italian volunteers.
The Islamic Jihad group said the two women were taken hostage because of Italy's presence in Iraq. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
