Iraqi kidnappers lower ransom for Cypriot

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Iraqi militants who kidnapped a Cypriot-Lebanese national on August 21 have lowered their ransom demand from USD 4 mln to USD 0.5 mln and given until the end of the week for the money to be paid.

Garabet Jean Jikerjian, 40, born in Lebanon but a naturalised Cypriot was seized in Baghdad by a group calling itself as “The Group for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”.

A video released by the captors shows Jikerjian with a hooded gunman pointing an automatic weapon at him. Jikerjian, was seen pleading for his life, calling for the company he worked for to pull out of Iraq.

Geo-Trading, which the kidnappers accused of exporting spirits and

alcoholic beverages to Iraq, said in a statement that it was operating

in Iraq according to local laws and never violated any legislation.

The statement said the company closed all its offices in Iraq,

dismissed its employees and decided not to operate in Iraq in order

to save its employee.

The aunt of Jikerjian in Cyprus, Rita Metzatourian told reporters that a ransom of USD 20.000 was originally paid, but then the kidnappers raised the ransom to USD 4 mln, and again lowered the sum to USD 0.5 mln.

“The kidnappers have reduced the amount but we are poor and don’t have such an amount. I am calling on the governments involved in this crisis to put pressure on the owner of the company my nephew is working for.

She added, “The government in Cyprus and the Foreign Ministry are doing whatever they can to ensure the safe return of Garabet and so basically we are all just waiting in hope.”