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Militants in Iraq Threaten Hostages, Demand German Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan

10 March 2007

A little-known militant group in Iraq has threatened to kill a German woman and her son who were kidnapped in Iraq, unless Berlin withdraws its troops from Afghanistan within 10 days.

In a video posted on the Internet Saturday, a weeping woman and a young man are held at gunpoint by a group that calls itself the "Arrows of Righteousness." 

Speaking in German, the woman appeals to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet the kidnappers' demands.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the woman and her son have been missing from their home in Iraq since February 6.  It is not clear why they were in Iraq.  Officials in Berlin have refused to comment on the kidnapper's demands, but the foreign ministry says it is working on the case and evaluating the demands of the abductors.

Germany does not have any troops serving in Iraq, but has about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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