India Shiite leaders tap Iran for hostage release

By: Nizam Hussain

NEW DELHI, India: Indian Shia leaders, at the government behest, have reportedly approached the religious clergy in Iran to seek the release of three Indian hostages in Iraq.

On Wednesday, the hostage takers took seven foreign truck drivers hostage and threatened to behead them unless their company ends its business in Iraq, and their countries—India, Egypt and Kenya—pull all their citizens out.

The names of the hostages are Ibrahim Khamis, Salm Faiz Khamis, Jalal Awadh, all from Kenya; Antaryami, Tilak Raj, Sukdev Singh, all from India; and Mohammed Ali Sanad from Egypt.

The Indian government feels that on a religious issue it cannot approach either Iran or any Shia leader in Iraq directly. That is the reason it has asked local Shia leaders to step in. The attempt is to ensure the religious leadership in Iran is able to use its moral authority over Shia groups in Iraq.

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