Deadline extended, India gets a warning

The captors of three Indian drivers in Iraq today indefinitely extended the deadline on their lives, hours before it was to expire but issue...

The captors of three Indian drivers in Iraq today indefinitely extended the deadline on their lives, hours before it was to expire but issued a warning to the Indian government 8216;8216;not to attack Islamic religious leaders.8217;8217; It was not clear who were they referring to but it8217;s the first such warning issued by the group to the Indian government.

In videotapes released to Arab satellite TV networks Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, the group calling itself Holders of the Black Banner insisted that the Kuwait Gulf and Link Transport KGL company, for which the hostages worked, withdraw from Iraq.

In another development, an armed outfit seized two Pakistanis and a Iraqi driver employed by another Kuwaiti company. It said the Pakistanis would be executed as it claimed that President Musharraf was contemplating sending troops to Iraq.

In videotapes released by the abductors of the Indians, a masked member of the group is shown reading a statement while two armed and masked men stand by his side. The captives are shown kneeling, dressed in white smocks.

The group said it had decided to extend the deadline in response to an appeal by Shaikh Hisham Al Dulami, an Iraqi tribal leader, who yesterday declared himself a negotiator for the hostages.

In Kuwait City, KGL, the employer of the seven drivers taken hostage, welcomed the extension of the deadline on their lives and assured their families in India, Kenya and Egypt that they are safe and eating well.

KGL director Saeed Dashti told the Associated Press he was optimistic about the mediating role 8216;8216;our Iraqi friends are playing8217;8217; to secure the release of his company8217;s seven drivers.

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In New Delhi, the Government sounded positive on the progress of the negotiations.

Stating that KGL had confirmed the extension of the deadline, the MEA spokesperson said efforts were on to secure the release of the hostages. He declined to elaborate, given the 8216;8216;sensitivity involved8217;8217; in the issue.

It8217;s learnt that the Indian embassies in Kuwait and Iraq are co-ordinating efforts for the release of the hostages. 8216;8216;We are in touch with various people but I would like to keep my comments to the minimum,8217;8217; the MEA spokesperson said.