Kadhafi pleads for life of US hostage in Iraq

DUBAI, Jan 26 (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has appealed to the kidnappers of US hostage Roy Hallums to spare his life, the Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera reported Wednesday.
Kadhafi urged the kidnappers to free their captive "in the name of Islam and the Arab nation, and in accordance with the principle of clemency," according to a text of his appeal obtained by Al-Jazeera.
Hallums had appealed to Arab leaders and Kadhafi in particular to intervene in a videotape aired by the channel on Tuesday.
Speaking with gun to his head, Hallums said he was appealing to the Libyan leader rather than his own government because he did not expect President George W. Bush to respond.
The 56-year-old was seized November 1 along with a Philippine accountant, a Nepalese and three Iraqis, all of whom, except the Filipino, have since been released.
He had been working for the Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Co (SATCO) in Baghdad.

01/26/2005 19:57 GMT - AFP