Irish hostage faces death ‘in three days’

THE second hostage drama involving an Irish citizen took a turn for the worse yesterday when the kidnap gang responsible issued a three-day deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

The Taliban splinter group said if their demands were not met by this Wednesday, they would kill Co Armagh woman, Annetta Flanigan, and her colleagues, Shqipe Hebibi from Kosovo and Angelito Nayan, who is from the Philippines.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern was being kept briefed on the latest developments last night but his office made no official statement. Mr Ahern had earlier unreservedly condemned the kidnappings and called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of the hostages.