Second Beheading Reported
BAGHDAD — Militants said Tuesday that they had beheaded a second American hostage in as many days and threatened to kill a British captive, increasing pressure on President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to confront a recent wave of kidnappings of foreigners in the Iraqi capital.
The kidnappers had demanded the release of all female Iraqis being held by the United States, and a Justice Ministry spokesman said this morning that the Iraqi government had decided to release one of the two women known to be held. [--snip--]
"You know that the Iraqi transitional government has asserted many times that it does not negotiate with terrorists," Raheem said.
The Iraqi government claims legal custody over all Iraqi prisoners, including deposed dictator Saddam Hussein. But Taha — like Hussein and his top lieutenants — is in physical custody of the U.S. military. It was not immediately known whether the U.S. would agree to the release, or whether her freedom would save British hostage Kenneth Bigley.
Our prayers are with the families of the hostages, and Mr. Bigley.
UPDATE: The BBC just announced that the Iraqi's are backing off release promise.
