Italy calls for calm after execution claim

ROME – The Italian government urged the utmost caution yesterday over the reported killing of two female hostages, saying it could not confirm the report and questioning its authenticity.

The purported execution of the two women, both aid workers abducted more than two weeks ago in Baghdad along with two Iraqi colleagues, caused consternation in Italy, with Italian TV and radio running special bulletins through the night. But Italy said it had no information which could confirm the execution of the two women aid workers, sources close to prime minister Silvio Berlusconi cited by the Italian news agency ANSA said.The US embassy in Baghdad also said it could not confirm the death of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, both 29, who were snatched from their office in Baghdad on September 7.A group calling itself the Jihad Organisation, said overnight in a statement on the Internet that it had “slaughtered” the two hostages.The statement came amid concern over the fate of a British man held by Islamists threatening to execute him unless female prisoners are released in Iraq.Two of his American co-workers kidnapped with him were beheaded this week and their grisly executions were shown on videos posted on the Internet.The Jihad Organisation said Pari and Torretta were executed “after the Italian government, led by the despicable Berlusconi, did not heed our sole condition (for releasing them), which was to pull out of Iraq.”A spokesman at the Italian embassy in Baghdad said authorities were in the process of examining the claim and could not yet say whether it was authentic or fake.Torretta’s mother, Anna Maria, said she was devastated overnight upon learning of the claim posted on the website but was later heartened by news that it could be false.”It is true that we thought we would die when we heard the news but what is important is that it not be true,” she said.Opposition parties in Rome meanwhile urged members of the government to appear before parliament to discuss the fate of the two women.”We are very preoccupied by this information which, even if not reliable, marks a turning point for the country,” Greens deputy Laura Cima said.Media organisations for their part echoed anguish throughout the nation concerning the women with major newspapers holding out hope that they were still alive.”Is it credible that the kidnappers would have announced their deaths on a website rarely used by terrorist groups and would display an emblem seldom used?” questioned the daily La Repubblica, adding that the claim could be the work of a “provocateur” seeking to further raise tensions in Italy.”The fact is that this kidnapping is marked by a big void,” it said, noting that the kidnappers had failed to issue any video footage of the women, as has been the case in other kidnappings.Berlusconi has been one of US President George W Bush’s staunchest allies in Iraq despite widespread public opposition in Italy.- Nampa-AFPBut Italy said it had no information which could confirm the execution of the two women aid workers, sources close to prime minister Silvio Berlusconi cited by the Italian news agency ANSA said.The US embassy in Baghdad also said it could not confirm the death of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, both 29, who were snatched from their office in Baghdad on September 7.A group calling itself the Jihad Organisation, said overnight in a statement on the Internet that it had “slaughtered” the two hostages.The statement came amid concern over the fate of a British man held by Islamists threatening to execute him unless female prisoners are released in Iraq.Two of his American co-workers kidnapped with him were beheaded this week and their grisly executions were shown on videos posted on the Internet.The Jihad Organisation said Pari and Torretta were executed “after the Italian government, led by the despicable Berlusconi, did not heed our sole condition (for releasing them), which was to pull out of Iraq.”A spokesman at the Italian embassy in Baghdad said authorities were in the process of examining the claim and could not yet say whether it was authentic or fake.Torretta’s mother, Anna Maria, said she was devastated overnight upon learning of the claim posted on the website but was later heartened by news that it could be false.”It is true that we thought we would die when we heard the news but what is important is that it not be true,” she said.Opposition parties in Rome meanwhile urged members of the government to appear before parliament to discuss the fate of the two women.”We are very preoccupied by this information which, even if not reliable, marks a turning point for the country,” Greens deputy Laura Cima said.Media organisations for their part echoed anguish throughout the nation concerning the women with major newspapers holding out hope that they were still alive.”Is it credible that the kidnappers would have announced their deaths on a website rarely used by terrorist groups and would display an emblem seldom used?” questioned the daily La Repubblica, adding that the claim could be the work of a “provocateur” seeking to further raise tensions in Italy.”The fact is that this kidnapping is marked by a big void,” it said, noting that the kidnappers had failed to issue any video footage of the women, as has been the case in other kidnappings.Berlusconi has been one of US President George W Bush’s staunchest allies in Iraq despite widespread public opposition in Italy.- Nampa-AFP