Muslim leader to plead for Australian hostage

SYDNEY - The leader of Muslims in Australia will fly to Iraq to try to persuade those holding Australian Douglas Wood hostage to release him.

The Mufti of Australia, Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali, yesterday met Mr Wood's brothers Malcolm and Vernon at a mosque in Sydney to film a plea in Arabic and discuss a way to save the 63-year-old engineer.

The appeal was broadcast across the Middle East and came after militants holding Mr Wood issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Australia to start pulling troops out of Iraq.

The ultimatum was contained in new footage broadcast by Arabic television network al-Jazeera on Friday showing Mr Wood with a shaved head and black eye.

"I regard him as our brother, a fellow Australian, an innocent man," Alhilali said in Arabic.

"He should not suffer because of politics whether they be right or wrong," he added.

The televised plea was organised by Australia's peak Muslim representative group, the Australian Federation of the Islamic Councils, which has called for Muslims around the world to pray for Mr Wood's safe and quick release.

Malcolm Wood issued a second statement on behalf of the family yesterday appealing to the captors to think of their hostage as a brother, father and husband and to release him unharmed.

Mr Wood was snatched in Iraq by an insurgent group possibly aligned with al-Qaeda-linked terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

His abductors released a DVD last week showing Mr Wood, with two of his captors holding guns to his head, asking the Australian government to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq.

Fears for his life grew with the release yesterday of the new footage

His captors called for Australia to begin pulling its troops out within 72 hours, or by 5am AEST Tuesday morning (0700 NZT).

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said Australia will not give in to the demands.

A spokesman for the mufti, Keysar Trad of the Lebanese Muslim Association, said today the senior Muslim cleric would fly to Iraq if the deadline was extended.

"It would be very, very difficult, a miracle, for him to make it by Tuesday morning," Mr Trad said.

"He's just waiting for a signal or any indication that an extension of the deadline has been given and then he'll fly out."

The Egyptian-born leader will be accompanied by Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Dr Amir Ali, who is Pakistani, and an unidentified Australian Iraqi guide.

"The Iraqi delegate knows some tribal elders there," Mr Trad said.

"The group believe that if they approach particular tribal contacts they can secure (Mr Wood's) safety and get access to different avenues to get him out alive."

He said the mufti would consult government officials and was prepared to co-operate with the Australian diplomatic delegation already in Iraq.

"He's highly confident and he's praying that this mission will meet with success," Mr Trad said.

"His primary objective is Mr Wood's safe release so whatever can be done to reach this objective, must be done."

Meanwhile, Mr Downer has telephoned Mr Wood's American-based wife Yvonne Given at her home in San Francisco and reminded her Australia was working hard to get her husband released.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said today an Australian hostage task force in Iraq had no new information on Mr Wood since his captors released the latest footage. There had been no ransom demand, he said.

"A whole range of tribunal, religious leaders, political leaders are on the task and have been very helpful and constructive," Hill told ABC Television.

"But it really depends on who has kidnapped him, what their motivation is."

Copy of email sent by Douglas Wood to his daughter Christina on July 10, 2004:

Dear Christina,

What a wonderfully full and happy life you have. Making a lovely family, developing the children, doing your own studies, providing Karl with stability and support. What a beautiful person you are.

Will you be taking the kids to Australia with you, or just you and Mom. How is all the family down there. Illness, marriages, kids etc? Give them all my regards.

I turned down a part time job (18 months with European Bank in London -- trips to Moscow and Saint Petersburg) and instead went to Iraq. I was doing O.K. in Baghdad, renovating a 7 storey building, but am having difficulty with rheumatoid arthritis and now my vision is only 10 per cent effective. Even typing this email requires me wearing reading glasses and squinting at the keyboard and screen (The hardest is finding the mouse pointer). However I am having injections to the eyes, and I am told I will soon have my vision back.

I am careful with the security arrangements in Baghdad and stay off the streets after dark.

With formal handover of power to Iraqis (instead of US as an occupying force) I hope things will get better.

Iraq is hot, but not the desert I had imagined. The valley between the Euphrates and the Tigris is actually quite fertile with many gum trees (and) date palms. They also grow fruits and grains.

Great to hear Karl (is) doing his MBA.

I always follow the Tour de France and dream of my lovely daughter's time in France and our travels. Just one of many deep and loving thoughts of you.

All my love,

Dad.

- AAP