Australian Muslim leader offers himself in exchange for Iraq hostage

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5818834&cKey=1117066827000

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Muslim leader Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali has offered himself to Iraqi militants in exchange for the freedom of Australian hostage Douglas Wood.

A video tape of al-Hilali's offer to swap himself for Wood -- a 63-year-old engineer held hostage for more than three weeks -- has been given to television stations Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, al-Hilali's spokesman Kayser Trad told Reuters on Thursday.

"He has said that if (the militants) produce a fresh video showing that Mr. Wood is still alive and well then he will agree to go to them and allow himself to be taken in provided Mr. Wood is released," Trad said.

"It would be a straight swap, so Mr. Wood can be freed to receive medical treatment."

[Cha]

1. Wow! That's a pretty

decent thing to do!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Sheik Offers to Take Iraq Hostage's Place

The Associated Press
CANBERRA, Australia
A senior Muslim cleric is offering to swap places with an Australian hostage held in Iraq, the sheik's spokesman said Thursday.

Douglas Wood, a 63-year-old engineer, was abducted early this month by a militant group calling itself the Shura Council of the Mujahedeen of Iraq.

Australia's mufti, Sheik Taj El Din al-Hilaly, flew to Iraq to negotiate his release and last week reported having a telephone conversation with an Australian he believed to be Wood who said he was well.

The sheik has offered to swap places with Wood, a California resident who suffers from a serious heart condition, in a statement expected to be broadcast soon on Middle Eastern television, spokesman Keysar Trad said.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050525/API/505251291

[katinmn]

3. interesting development. I wonder what will happen.....

[ConfuZed]

4. Like they are that stupid :D

"Duh just come to 4500 Jalalibad Rd were we'll do an exchange make sure not to bring any US Soldiers with you or we'll..."

:D

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. It'll happen unless there's a release.

[Moderator]

6. kick to combine

[Hissyspit]

7. Australian Muslim Leader Offers to be Iraq Hostage Swap

Hmm... Have any American religious leaders done anything of this stripe?

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-05-26T032050Z_01_N25437437_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-IRAQ-AUSTRALIA-HOSTAGE-DC.XML

Australian Muslim leader offers Iraq hostage swap
Wed May 25, 2005 11:20 PM ET
By Michelle Nichols

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Muslim leader Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali has offered himself to Iraqi militants in exchange for the freedom of Australian hostage Douglas Wood.

A video tape of al-Hilali's offer to swap himself for Wood -- a 63-year-old engineer held hostage for more than three weeks -- has been given to television stations Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, al-Hilali's spokesman Kayser Trad told Reuters on Thursday.

"He has said that if (the militants) produce a fresh video showing that Mr Wood is still alive and well then he will agree to go to them and allow himself to be taken in provided Mr Wood is released," Trad said.

"It would be a straight swap, so Mr Wood can be freed to receive medical treatment."

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[Adrian Luca]

8. Showboat

This guy is 100% pure publicity hound. He's well known in Australia for passing himself off as "Australia's muslim leader"...nevermind that Australian muslims come in more flavors than Ben and Jerry's icecream.

Muslims I've talked to in my home state of Victoria dismiss him as an anti-semitic, mysogonist asshole, who likes to get close to fundies when it's convenient.