Thursday, November 16, 2006
Minister for Higher education: some hostages tortured, killed
Security, Politics
Kidnappers who seized dozens of men from an Iraqi government building two days ago tortured and killed some of their hostages, the minister for higher education said on Thursday, citing the testimony of freed hostages. The comments from Abd Dhiab, who also said some 70 staff were still missing, underlined the rifts in the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, who has insisted that all but a handful of around 40 hostages have been freed. Higher Education Minister Dhiab told reporters on Thursday that around 70 hostages had been released out of about 150 staff and visitors originally seized from one of his ministry's buildings in central Baghdad.
"There are a number of people who were killed, they are employees and guards," Dhiab said, without specifying how many. "According to the people released, they were killed by torture," he said, adding that several of those released were in shock after being tortured themselves. Dhiab, a member of a Sunni Arab party in the Shiite-led government, reaffirmed his determination to boycott the government until all the hostages are released.Dhiab has said the hostages were taken to a Shi'ite militia stronghold in Baghdad.
A spokesman for the higher education ministry said officials were compiling a full list of names of those seized. It included at least 100 employees of two departments in the building, as well as some 50 visitors. After the release of around 70 - including 30 freed on Wednesday - dozens were still unaccounted for, the spokesman said. The main government spokesman, however, said on Wednesday that 37 people had been freed and only a handful were still missing.
"There are a number of people who were killed, they are employees and guards," Dhiab said, without specifying how many. "According to the people released, they were killed by torture," he said, adding that several of those released were in shock after being tortured themselves. Dhiab, a member of a Sunni Arab party in the Shiite-led government, reaffirmed his determination to boycott the government until all the hostages are released.Dhiab has said the hostages were taken to a Shi'ite militia stronghold in Baghdad.
A spokesman for the higher education ministry said officials were compiling a full list of names of those seized. It included at least 100 employees of two departments in the building, as well as some 50 visitors. After the release of around 70 - including 30 freed on Wednesday - dozens were still unaccounted for, the spokesman said. The main government spokesman, however, said on Wednesday that 37 people had been freed and only a handful were still missing.
