Jordan's King King Abdullah claims that Italian hostages Simona Pari and Simona Torretta are alive. He also claims that Jordan is using all of its diplomatic and intelligence asssets to obtain the two aid worker's release. This would contradict claims made earlier by two groups who said that they have beheaded the two Italians.

Kenneth Bigley's brother also claims that he has recieved information that Bigley is alive. The Northeast Intelligence Network, which monitors Islamist bulletin boards, claims that new demands have been made for Bigley's life which suggest that he may indded be alive. Among these demands are calls for the release of radical Muslims being held in British jails, including Sheik Omar Mahmoud Abou Omar. The message said the Blair government has 48 hours to respond. In a move that shows the terrorists are becoming more and more effective in manipulating Western opinion, Bigley's brother also called on British Prime Minister Tony Blair to resign and said that if Kenneth Bigley were to die that Mr. Blair would "have blood on his hands."

In an interview, Jordan's King Abdullah called on the world's media elite to stop broadcasting terrorist propaganda--echoing the sentiments of Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. CNN:

"Allowing the terrorists unlimited access to the newspapers and television increases their strength," he said.

"I don't think it's possible to eradicate all the groups who kidnap people, but if the international community, all together, decided not to allow the media to be used to make propaganda, by showing images with the humiliation of hostages, one part of the problem could be resolved."

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