British-Iraqi kidnap victim Margaret Hassan pleads for her life in a video on al-Jazeera. Her captors threatened to hand her over to al-Zarqawi. Photo by al-Jazeera
The captors of British-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan have threatened to hand her over to al-Zarqawi, if British troops would not leave Iraq in two days. The warning was made through a video aired by al-Jazeera. The Arabic television station did not play the tape full length, but said it showed Hassan pleading for her life and then suddenly fainting. Jordanian-born Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi is believed to be a senior al-Qaeda operative in Iraq. He has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly attacks against coalition forces, as well as for many hostage killings.