An Iraqi police vehicle on Tuesday hit a roadside bomb in the city of Baqouba, located north of Baghdad. According to reports, one civilian was killed and four wounded, police and hospital officials said. Two policemen were also lightly injured.
Meanwhile, family members of an American and a Briton held by kidnappers in Iraq appealed for their lives after a video posted on the Internet showed al Qaeda activists beheading a hostage identified as U.S. civil engineer Eugene Armstrong and threatening to kill another hostage in 24 hours.
In Georgia, Patty Hensley, the wife of U.S. hostage Jack Hensely, pleaded Tuesday with his captors to open lines of communication and spare his life.
"I understand their political agenda, but what I need them to understand is the man who I have been with for 23 years, who is the father of our 13-year-old daughter, who does not understand this situation, why someone would want to hurt her father," Patty Hensley said in an interview with CNN. "I would plead with them to please realize this man does not deserve this fate."
Elsewhere, in London, the Bigley's family appealed to British Prime Minister Tony Blair to meet the captors' demands.
"I ask Tony Blair personally to consider the amount of bloodshed already suffered," Craig Bigley said in a videotaped statement. "Please meet the demands and release my father - two women for two men. ... Only you can save him now. You have children and you will understand how I feel at this time."
Philip Bigley pleaded with his brother's captors to free his brother and Hensley.
"We are begging you not to kill them," he said. "We are begging you to find a solution, a compromise, that will help to save two lives, innocent lives." (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
