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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Islamic cleric says Tokyo would prefer hostages dead |
| 2004-04-18 |
| Abdel Salem al-Kubaissi of the Islamic Clerics Association who played a role in the release of five Japanese hostages in Iraq criticized the Japanese government on Saturday, saying it "must be thinking that it would be better for the hostages not to be freed." "The Japanese government is using the incidents as an excuse to justify the stationing of its Self-Defense Forces troops in Iraq," the Sunni Muslim cleric told reporters. "They must be thinking that it is better for the hostages not to be freed, for Japanese to be kidnapped and killed." He also criticized Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi for failing to credit the clerics association’s contribution in gaining the release of three of the hostages. |
| Posted by:TS |
| #5 He also criticized Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi for failing to credit the clerics association’s contribution in gaining the release of three of the hostages. Hard to credit the same people who ordered the hostages taken in the first place. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-04-18 8:00:39 PM |
| #4 Sounds like Abdel Salem al-Kubaissi is the only one making any threats here. Always keep your guns pointed at the guy who's trying to harm you. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-04-18 7:59:47 PM |
| #3 Who says the hostages were hostages? All had links to the anti-war extremists... I don't believe them. |
| Posted by: DANEgerus 2004-04-18 7:23:16 PM |
#2 Tokyo says Hostages would Prefer Islamic Clerics DeadI think most of us would. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-04-18 12:00:36 PM |
| #1 Did not get the brownie points he was looking for? Headline to read: Tokyo says Hostages would Prefer Islamic Clerics Dead Maybe the Japanese government did not want those particular hostages back. |
| Posted by: john 2004-04-18 11:45:20 AM |