BAGHDAD, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State of
Iraq armed group said in a statement posted on the Internet on Saturday that it
has kidnapped 20 Iraqi soldiers and policemen and threatens to kill them in 48
hours if its demands are not met.
The statement said the security
staff were abducted in eastern Baghdad, but didn't mention at what
time. Images could be seen on the Internet with the purported captives dressed
in brown and blue uniforms, blindfolded and handcuffed.
The Islamic State of Iraq demanded the release of
"Muslim Sunni sisters who are in the prisons of the interior ministry."
The statement "gives the government of (Prime
Minister Nuri) al-Maliki 48 hours to meet its demands or it will execute the
rule of God on them."
On Feb. 22, the Islamic State of Iraq issued another
Internet statement, protesting against three Iraqi policemen's sexual assault of
a Sunni women and called on the group's members to step up attacks on U.S. and
Iraqi government forces.
However, Maliki has denied the accusations against
the three Iraqi policemen, saying they were false and designed to tarnish the
image of the government and the security forces.
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