Al-Qaeda threatens to kill Russian Hostages
'Pakistan Times' Foreign Desk

PARIS: An Iraqi insurgent coalition led by Al-Qaeda said Wednesday its Islamic court had ruled that four Russian diplomats it is holding hostage should be executed, according to a statement on the Internet.

"The Islamic court of the Mujahedeen Shura Council in Iraq decided to apply the rule of God against them and ruled that they should be killed," said the council, which groups eight factions.

The statement, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, said the ruling was made after the Russian government spurned a 48-hour ultimatum to meet the group's demands.

The insurgents demanded Russia's pullout from Chechnya and the release of Muslim prisoners from Russian jails.

The diplomats were abducted on June 3 when unidentified gunmen attacked their vehicle in the upmarket west Baghdad neighborhood of Mansour.

One diplomat was killed in that incident.●