Italy negotiating swap for hostages in Iraq: hostage relative

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040418/wl_afp/iraq_hostages_italy&cid=1512&ncid=1480

ROME (AFP) - Italy could exchange Islamic extremists held prisoner within the country for its three nationals who were kidnapped in Iraq (news - web sites), a relative of one of the hostages told Ansa Italian news agency.


"They assured me they (the hostages) were alive. This exchange is being negotiated", Angelo Stefio, the father of 34-year-old Salvatore Stefio, said.


Salvatore Stefio is among three Italian security guards being held in Iraq by a previously unknown group calling themselves the "Green Brigade".


A fourth Italian, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was executed on Wednesday by the abductors, who have demanded the withdrawal of Italy's troops from Iraq and threatened to kill the other three men.

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[sspiderjohn]

1. Good. Pray they'll negotiate a prisoner exchange and save lives.

nt

[Just Me]

2. While they are negotiating,...they will be accused by extremists,...

,...as being "appeasers".

What makes me crazy,...about this whole whirlwind,...is that, all those who attempted to protect any and all Jewish people during Hitler's reign,...were called "appeasers".

Really weird and frightening times.

[Robbien]

3. That hostage relative should have kept their lips buttoned

If a hostage swap was truely in the works, publicity will surely kill that option.

[dArKeR]

4. Italy negotiating hostage swap

Rome - Italy could exchange Islamic extremists held prisoner within the country for its three nationals who were kidnapped in Iraq, a relative of one of the hostages told Ansa Italian news agency on Sunday.

"They assured me they (the hostages) were alive. This exchange is being negotiated," Angelo Stefio, the father of 34-year-old Salvatore Stefio, said.

Salvatore Stefio is among three Italian security guards being held in Iraq by a previously unknown group calling themselves the "Green Brigade".

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1514066,00.html

[buldra]

5. here in italy

...i don't think berlusconi and his foreign minister have the chops to do that job, they're just unable to fit their institutional role.
Ihpe for the hosteges....