German hostages alive

BERLIN – The German government has received persuasive information that two German engineers who were abducted by gunmen six weeks ago have not been killed by their kidnappers, a German newspaper reported yesterday.

“There is no reason to doubt that they are alive,” an unnamed high-ranking security expert familiar with the case was quoted as saying by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. The report gave no details about what information the government had.Last month the militant group holding the two men, Ansar al-Tawhid Wa-Sunna, issued what it called a final ultimatum before killing the captives unless Berlin met its demands that Germany end cooperation with Baghdad, close its embassy and force all German firms to leave the country.Since then the government has said that it had no information about Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, who were abducted on Jan.24 outside their workplace in the industrial town of Baiji, 180 km north of Baghdad.- Nampa-ReutersThe report gave no details about what information the government had.Last month the militant group holding the two men, Ansar al-Tawhid Wa-Sunna, issued what it called a final ultimatum before killing the captives unless Berlin met its demands that Germany end cooperation with Baghdad, close its embassy and force all German firms to leave the country.Since then the government has said that it had no information about Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, who were abducted on Jan.24 outside their workplace in the industrial town of Baiji, 180 km north of Baghdad.- Nampa-Reuters