|
 SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Militants holding an Australian engineer hostage in Iraq have extended the deadline on their demand for a troop withdrawal by Canberra, Australia's top Islamic leader said Thursday after meeting with senior Muslim clerics in the war-torn country.
Douglas Wood — who lives with his wife in California — was seized more than a week ago by Iraqi militants who want Australia to pull out of Iraq. They gave a 72-hour deadline that expired early Tuesday but did not say what would happen if their demands were not met. Australia has refused to withdraw its forces.
His family in Australia said in a statement late Thursday they were preparing newspaper and television advertisements to be aired and printed in Iraq stressing that he is from a loving family and is in poor health.
|