Fears grow for safety of Irish hostage in Iraq

THE international campaign to free abducted Irish aid worker Margaret Hassan gained pace yesterday as fears grew for her safety against the background of puzzling silence from her kidnappers.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and his Palestinian counterpart, Dr Nabil Shaath, issued a joint statement in English and Arabic last night calling for Mrs Hassan’s safe return.

Diplomats in Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League were also put on the case while the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was willing to enter talks with whichever gang or group was holding her, although he ruled out paying money or standing down troops in exchange for her release.

Appeals were also made by two other senior Australian statesmen, former prime minister Malcolm Fraser and former governor general William Deane, who both held key positions in Care Australia, the aid agency which employs Mrs Hassan.

Mrs Hassan’s husband, Tahseen Ali Hassan, said he was cautiously optimistic his wife would be released once her record as friend and advocate for the Iraqi people became known, but he expressed frustration at not knowing which group had her or why they took her. “If it was for political reasons, I need to say that Care is a humanitarian organisation that has nothing to do with politics. It collects funds from donor countries to help Iraqis,” he said.

There are fears she has been taken by criminals whose only interest would be to secure a ransom from any of the western countries to which she has ties.

In their joint statement, Mr Ahern and Dr Shaath made no reference to Margaret’s links with Britain, where she was brought up, but stressed instead her Irish birth and Iraqi citizenship and the many years that Iraq has been her home.

They said: “During these years, Margaret has been a champion of the people of Iraq. As a worker with the Care agency, she has worked tirelessly to help the Iraqi people during their long years of suffering.

“She has spoken out in their interests to the international media. She does not deserve to be treated in this way. Her family in Iraq, in Ireland and elsewhere, should not be suffering as they are now. For the sake of humanity, compassion and the people of Iraq, we appeal to Margaret’s captors to release her forthwith.”

Dr Nabil Shaath was in Ireland on a pre-arranged trip to meet Mr Ahern in his new role in Foreign Affairs. Their statement was to be aired on Al Jazeera and other Arab language news networks last night.

Mr Ahern said he had spoken to Mr Hassan who, like Margaret, is the holder of an Irish passport, and he had expressed his deep appreciation of the support shown by Ireland.

Mr Ahern said the Government was conscious that Care’s staff and Mr Hassan were best placed to gauge what steps should be taken on the ground in Iraq.