IRAQI TERRORISTS THREATEN TO BEHEAD THE ARMENIAN
This time terrorists have seized our compatriot from Cyprus.
Tuesday night is the deadline of the ultimatum made by Iraqi terrorists who have taken our compatriot Karapet Jan Djekerdjyan as a hostage. The members of the previously unknown extremist grouping promise to give back the hostage alive if he pays a million dollar redemption. Otherwise, terrorists say they will behead him.
Karapet Jan Djekerdjyan is from Lebanon by birth. During the last 20 years he has lived in Cyprus. He is 40 years old and has Cyprian and Lebanese citizenships. Karapet Jan Djekerdjyan worked in "Jetco" company which supplies juices and food to Iraq. The head of the company is his friend - a Beyrut Armenian. On August 21 Karo was taken hostage in Baghdad. The responsibility for the kidnapping was taken by previously unknown grouping, called "In the Name of Spreading Good and Liquidating Bad". Initially, the terrorists set two conditions: first they wanted the firm to leave Iraq and pay two million dollars in cash. The first demand was fulfilled by "Jetco" company immediately. The director of the company and the hostage's relatives entered into negotiations on the redemption, though Americans were categorically against that. Cyprus authorities and the leaders of the Armenian community try to be of use too.
At the beginning of September the hostage's relatives were given a video cassette with a dreadful recording: the terrorists in masks threatened Karapet with a machine gun and dictated their conditions. According to some sources, as a result of negotiations the terrorists decreased the redemption sum to 500 thousand dollars, but again rose it up to two million. "Cyprus weekly" paper reports that the hostage's relatives have already paid 500 thousand dollars but the terrorists are demanding the deficient amount of money. It is also known that the hostage's aunt Rita Metsaturyan has sold her property and saved up a sum of money for paying the redemption. Besides that, she has also started collecting donations. By Monday the redemption sum was still unpaid and the terrorists' promise was still in force. Today, no one really knows what will happen next.
This is not the first case when an Armenian gets into troubles in Iraq. We have heard of our compatriots held as hostages already twice. In September 2004, terrorists seized Lebanese Armenian Aram Nalbandyan. The kidnappers did not manage to announce their conditions because on the next day Americans could get back the hostage during battle. In March 2004 terrorists kidnapped Armenian journalist from Bucharest Edward Obidiu Hovhannisyan. Thanks to the efforts of American and Romanian special services he and his colleagues were freed. But the worker of International Committee of Red Cross, Canadian citizen Vache Arslanyan was killed in uncertain circumstances. In November 2003 terrorists killed two Armenian women in Bagdad only because they had been working as dish washers for Americans. Iraqi extremists have also attacked Armenian churches twice. On December 10, 2003 the bomb caused damage only to the church, but in July the explosion wounded several parishioners. All these incidents took place after the end of military actions. But the war in Iraq has taken away the lives of seven local Armenians.
It should be noted that Djekerdjyan was taken hostage not because he was Armenian, though Armenia takes part in the antiterrorist coalition and following to the appeal of Washington, the Armenian government sent peace-makers to Iraq. Nevertheless, the fact that our compatriot has been taken hostage, is another reason to think about the security of Armenian peace-makers. Up to now, under the Polish flag, Armenian field engineers, drivers and doctors have managed to avoid troubles. However, Georgian peace-makers, for example, have got into skirmish and had some injuries. In any case, there are enough reasons to think about the terms of the return of our military personnel. It should be reminded that in August the staff of the peace-making battalion was rotated. The term of agreement with Poland will expire in the month of February. The document supposes extension of the contract and this is what Americans hope for. However, there are hopes that there will be no need to prolong the contract. In spring Warsaw started the process of withdrawal of military forces from Iraq. The results of the parliamentary elections, held on Sunday in Poland allow to suppose that the Poles will soon leave Iraq. The elections were won by the right opposition that supports the withdrawal of military forces from Iraq. The parliamentary majority will soon form new government and in October Poland will elect a new president. All the main candidates to the president's post adhere to the idea of leaving Iraq. Thus, there are enough grounds to suppose that in February Armenia will honorably complete its peace-making mission in Iraq and we shall have a clear conscience before Americans. Now, we should only pray for the rescue of Karapet Jan Djekerdjyan and for the safety of all the others.
At the beginning of September the hostage's relatives were given a video cassette with a dreadful recording: the terrorists in masks threatened Karapet with a machine gun and dictated their conditions. According to some sources, as a result of negotiations the terrorists decreased the redemption sum to 500 thousand dollars, but again rose it up to two million. "Cyprus weekly" paper reports that the hostage's relatives have already paid 500 thousand dollars but the terrorists are demanding the deficient amount of money. It is also known that the hostage's aunt Rita Metsaturyan has sold her property and saved up a sum of money for paying the redemption. Besides that, she has also started collecting donations. By Monday the redemption sum was still unpaid and the terrorists' promise was still in force. Today, no one really knows what will happen next.
This is not the first case when an Armenian gets into troubles in Iraq. We have heard of our compatriots held as hostages already twice. In September 2004, terrorists seized Lebanese Armenian Aram Nalbandyan. The kidnappers did not manage to announce their conditions because on the next day Americans could get back the hostage during battle. In March 2004 terrorists kidnapped Armenian journalist from Bucharest Edward Obidiu Hovhannisyan. Thanks to the efforts of American and Romanian special services he and his colleagues were freed. But the worker of International Committee of Red Cross, Canadian citizen Vache Arslanyan was killed in uncertain circumstances. In November 2003 terrorists killed two Armenian women in Bagdad only because they had been working as dish washers for Americans. Iraqi extremists have also attacked Armenian churches twice. On December 10, 2003 the bomb caused damage only to the church, but in July the explosion wounded several parishioners. All these incidents took place after the end of military actions. But the war in Iraq has taken away the lives of seven local Armenians.
It should be noted that Djekerdjyan was taken hostage not because he was Armenian, though Armenia takes part in the antiterrorist coalition and following to the appeal of Washington, the Armenian government sent peace-makers to Iraq. Nevertheless, the fact that our compatriot has been taken hostage, is another reason to think about the security of Armenian peace-makers. Up to now, under the Polish flag, Armenian field engineers, drivers and doctors have managed to avoid troubles. However, Georgian peace-makers, for example, have got into skirmish and had some injuries. In any case, there are enough reasons to think about the terms of the return of our military personnel. It should be reminded that in August the staff of the peace-making battalion was rotated. The term of agreement with Poland will expire in the month of February. The document supposes extension of the contract and this is what Americans hope for. However, there are hopes that there will be no need to prolong the contract. In spring Warsaw started the process of withdrawal of military forces from Iraq. The results of the parliamentary elections, held on Sunday in Poland allow to suppose that the Poles will soon leave Iraq. The elections were won by the right opposition that supports the withdrawal of military forces from Iraq. The parliamentary majority will soon form new government and in October Poland will elect a new president. All the main candidates to the president's post adhere to the idea of leaving Iraq. Thus, there are enough grounds to suppose that in February Armenia will honorably complete its peace-making mission in Iraq and we shall have a clear conscience before Americans. Now, we should only pray for the rescue of Karapet Jan Djekerdjyan and for the safety of all the others.
