Iraqi militants set new deadline on German hostages

By Firouz Sedarat

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraqi militants holding a German woman and her adult son hostage said on Tuesday they were giving Germany a new deadline of 10 days to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan or the two would be killed.

The Arrows of Righteousness group posted a video on the Internet showing Hannelore Marianne Krause urging Germans to press their government to heed the demands of the militants. She broke down in tears at one stage.

The group had issued an earlier ultimatum on March 10 that it would kill the pair if Berlin failed to pull out its troops from Afghanistan. The two were seized from their home in western Baghdad in early February.

"I urge the German people to help me in my difficult situation," said Krause, according to an Arabic translation of her comments, only parts of which could be heard.

"Germany was safe before it got involved in this satanic coalition with America against what they call terrorism," said Krause, shown sitting on the ground next to her son.

Germany, which opposed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, has about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO force stationed in the country after U.S.-led troops toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harbouring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"Maybe for the last time ... I urge you. Perhaps you can go to the newspapers, perhaps you can organise a protest march ... contact people who can help you, please, please, please," she said, addressing a son and daughter living in Germany.

In Berlin, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the new deadline. She said that a crisis team at the ministry was working intensively on the case.