IRAQ GROUP THREATENS TO KILL LEBANESE HOSTAGE
Agence France Presse — English
September 11, 2005 Sunday 7:10 PM GMT
A previously unheard of group in Iraq threatened to kill a Lebanese
hostage it accused of working with a liquor distribution firm that
“deals with the occupiers,” according to a video posted on the
Internet Sunday.
“The Group for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” said
it had “captured an importer of food and liquor in Baghdad who works
for a company that deals directly with the crusader occupiers of Iraq.”
It demanded the company’s “withdrawal from Iraq as soon as possible
in order to free the Lebanese hostage — otherwise woe on him and you.”
The hostage, who speaking in Arabic gave the Armenian name of Garabet
Jean Chekerjian, said he held dual Lebanese and Cypriot nationality.
He was shown in the footage sitting on the floor with his hands and
feet tied.
A hooded gunman pointed an automatic weapon at his head.
Official sources in Beirut said the government was aware of the
reported kidnapping and had given instructions to its charge d’affaires
in Baghdad, Hassan Hijazi, to contact the Iraqi authorities and
“any other party” that might help secure his release.
The hostage exhorted Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and the embassy
in Baghdad to put pressure on his employers to pull out of Iraq.
“I hold dual Lebanese and Cypriot nationality and I work with the
branches of the Jeto Trading company in Lebanon, Cyprus and Iraq. The
company supplies foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages to the occupation
forces and the Iraqi army,” he said.
“I urge the company to leave Iraq and I ask the Lebanese embassy to
put pressure on the company and its owner to sever links with the
occupation forces and the Iraqi army.”
Addressing his boss Gebran Tomeh, as well as Lahoud, the captive called
on all Lebanese companies to quit Iraq, which he said was occupied
“as Lebanon had been 15 years ago.”
Dozens of foreigners have been kidnapped by anti-US insurgents in
Iraq and some have been executed by their captors.
About 30 Lebanese working for private companies in Iraq have been
kidnapped and later freed, most of them in exchange for a ransom. But
in September 2004, one Lebanese national was killed by his captors
and three others died during an attempted kidnap.