Turkish businessman kidnapped in Baghdad

A Turkish businessman has been kidnapped in Baghdad by insurgents demanding that his company stop all activities in Iraq, reports said today.

Ali Musluoglu, 48, used his mobile phone to call his brother in Turkey on Monday and told him he was being held by insurgents. One his captors then took the phone and said the Turks should halt doing business with Americans in Iraq, the brother, Ahmet Musluoglu told the Anatolia news agency.

The brothers are partners in a transportation company that was carrying sand and rubble for construction work in Iraq. Musluoglu had left for Iraq 10 days ago and had been missing for four days when he called, private NTV television reported.

Ahmet Musluoglu said his brother was in tears when he called.

“He said he didn’t know what would become of him and asked that I look after his children,” Ahmet Musluoglu said.

One of his captors then took the phone and asked in Arabic why they were in business with Americans, he said.

“Break off your relations immediately or you’ll never see your brother again,” he quoted the insurgents as saying.

Ahmet Musluoglu said he promised the captors that they would not do business with Americans if his brother was freed.