Jordan's King says Italians alive in Iraq
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-28 01:19

Two Italian aid workers kidnapped in Iraq and once reported to have been killed are still alive, Jordan's King Abdullah II said in an interview published Monday ahead of his visit to Italy to discuss the crisis.

Italian hostage Simona Pari. Two young Italian women taken hostage in Iraq are believed to be still alive, King Abdullah II of Jordan said the day before he is due to visit Italy. [AFP]

Abdullah told the daily Corriere della Sera that Jordan was working with Italy to secure the release of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who were kidnapped in Baghdad on Sept. 7.

"The information that I have, at this moment, is that both the hostages are alive," Abdullah was quoted as saying.

"With the help of intelligence, we are trying to trying to locate them, and we are using all our contacts with leaders and groups within Iraq to obtain their release," he reportedly said.

The two women, both 29, were working for the aid agency "Un Ponte Per ..." ("A Bridge To...") and were involved in school and water projects in Iraq.

Last week, two militant groups claimed to have killed them, but the Italian government said the claims were unreliable. The two groups were the same that claimed to have kidnapped them.

One group demanded that women held in Iraqi prisons be released and the other that Italy withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi has sent two diplomatic missions to the Middle East as part of intense diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the hostages.

On Tuesday, Abdullah and Berlusconi will discuss the hostages as well as bilateral and international issues, the premier's office said.

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