The Syrian terrorist group which seized 45 Fijian peacekeepers since last week has threatened to try the captured soldiers by Sharia law unless their demands are met.
The Al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front wants to be taken off the United Nations (UN) terrorist list, wants humanitarian aid delivered to parts of the Syrian capital Damascus, and wants compensation for three of its fighters it says were killed in a shootout with UN officers, said Brig. Gen. Mosese Tikoitoga.
“Tikoitoga didn’t say if the demands would be seriously considered. He said the U.N. had sent hostage negotiators to Syria to take over discussions from military leaders”.
“Negotiations have moved up to another level with the professional negotiators now in place,” he said.
The Nusra Front accused the UN of doing nothing to help the Syrian people since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011, Times of Israel report says.
“It said the Fijians were seized in retaliation for the UN’s ignoring “the daily shedding of the Muslims’ blood in Syria” and even colluding with Assad’s army “to facilitate its movement to strike the vulnerable Muslims” through a buffer zone in the Golan Heights”.
The demand release came one day before Fiji’s Former Prime Minister Steven Rabuka told Radio New Zealand on Wednesday “Fiji’s Muslim community could face a serious backlash if the peacekeepers were harmed by their captors”.
The comments prompted probe by Fijian authority.
Radio New Zealand quoted Fiji’s Broadcating Commission as saying, “chief operations officer assistant commissioner of police, Rusiate Tudravu, has confirmed a directive has been issued to look into Rabuka’s comments”.
Mr Rabuka stands by his comments saying he was pointing out something that could potentially happen, the Radio said.
