Italian hostages released in Iraq Two Italian female aid workers held hostage in Iraq for the last three weeks have been released. They were handed over to the Italian Red Cross in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, and are in good health, officials said.
Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who were seized in their Baghdad office on 7 September, are on their way to Italy. Separately, an Egyptian telecoms company said four of its six workers who had been held hostage in Iraq have also been set free. The first one, Alaa Maqaar, was reported to have been released on Monday, but his company Orascom Telecom only confirmed he was free on Tuesday morning. "The company is continuing its strenuous efforts to free the remaining hostages as quickly as possible," a company statement said. Finally a moment of joy - the two girls are well and will be able to return to their loved ones tonight Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi Two French journalists, apparently captured by the same group as the two Italians, are still being held while there is no news of UK hostage Ken Bigley, who has been threatened with beheading. On Monday, an Iranian diplomat kidnapped nearly two months ago was freed. About 30 other foreigners, including several from Arab countries, are still being held. Pope's thanks Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the two women, both aged 29, were expected to return to Italy later on Tuesday. The two Iraqi aid workers seized with the two women had also been freed, Mr Berlusconi said. Mr Berlusconi described the release of the two women as a "moment of joy". "The two girls are well and will be able to return to their loved ones tonight," he said at a news conference in Rome. Pope John Paul II expressed his "great joy" at news of the release. "His thoughts also go to the families and with them all persons of good will, thanking God for this humanitarian gesture," a papal spokesman said. 'Overwhelmingly happy' Simona Torretta's family reacted swiftly on Italian television, expressing their joy at the news she had survived her ordeal. "We've spoken to the Baghdad ambassador. The information is 100% certain and we are already celebrating," said Annamaria Torretta, her mother, on Italian television. "I'm so happy, overwhelmingly happy," said Simona Pari's father, Luciano, from his home in Rimini on the Adriatic coast. "This was the news I had been hoping for," he added. The two women were working for the aid agency A Bridge to Baghdad and had been involved in school and water projects. The fate of both aid workers captured the hearts of Italians this month and over the last week itself there has been a rollercoaster of emotions, says the BBC's Guto Harri in Rome. Initial reports suggested they had both been killed, followed by reports, first from Kuwait then from Jordan, suggesting they were alive and well and would be released, our correspondent says. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/3698196.stm Published: 2004/09/28 17:44:05 GMT © BBC MMIV ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
