Three Turks Are Kidnapped

Iraqi insurgents who kidnapped and killed Kim Sun-il kidnapped three Turks and threatened the Turkish government at night of June 25 (local time), saying they would decapitate the hostages unless Turkey evacuates all Turks in Iraq within 72 hours.

The Arab satellite TV network Al-Jazeera showed videotape of three hostages that was sent from the militant group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to the public on June 26.

In the video, the hostages holding their passports were down on their knees in front of two armed and masked men. The hostages are known to be technicians working in Iraq. They revealed their names and explained what they have done in Iraq in Turkish.

“Hold a large-scale demonstration against U.S. President George W. Bush’s state visit, and Turkish firms must stop doing business with the U.S. army in Iraq,” claimed terrorists in the video. President Bush arrived at Istanbul in Turkey on June 27 to attend the NATO summit meeting.

Al-Jazeera revealed that they received the videotape on June 26. The details of the kidnapping have not been reported. A Turkish consular official in Iraq said, “It seems that they were kidnapped on June 24, but we have not obtained any more details.” Turkey once planned to send troops to Iraq, but has not dispatched any due to overwhelming Iraqi public opinion against it.