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A purported spokesman for the Taliban on Tuesday said the Islamist militants killed a second Korean hostage because there was no response to their four-hour extension of the deadline for negotiations. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, who has been talking to the international press in various hostage situations, made the claim in an exclusive interview with the Chosun Ilbo. He said the kidnappers randomly picked Shin Sung-min for killing and threatened the death of more hostages unless there is prisoner exchange by noon on Wednesday. The 30-minute interview was conducted through an interpreter in Pashto, one of the main Afghan languages.
！Why did you kill the second hostage?
"We had extended the deadline for negotiations from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. But we didn't hear any good news. So we killed him around 8:30 p.m."
！What exactly is the Taliban's demand?
"We demand 24 Taliban prisoners are released in three steps, eight in each step."
！Why do you insist on a prisoner exchange in three steps?
"This is the way each side can trust the other. We want to see if eight Taliban prisoners can be exchanged with hostages, as we demand, in the first place.
！You released a video of the hostages today. Are you going to release another?
"It was videotaped by a Taliban fighter who supervises hostages and delivered to Al Jazeera. We decided to ban interviews with the media from today. We believe that through the voices of hostages, the Taliban's demand became known fully to Korea and the entire world."
！How are the Korean hostages?
"Seventeen to 18 of them are sick. They don't seem to adapt to the climate well. And they don't seem to eat well, either."
！Please allow us to deliver medicines to the sick people first.
"The Taliban don't want medicine but a prisoner exchange. Then they can all go home. We are not a hospital. We have no reason to treat them."
Meanwhile, the Afghan Islamic Express on Tuesday quoted Ahmadi as saying the conditions of two of the 21 remaining Korean hostages have deteriorated and they could die. Ahmadi said that the militants will release the two sick women first if two Taliban prisoners are freed. He urged the Korean and Afghan governments to take realistic measures and accept the Islamist group¨s demands in exchange for the release of the two.
AIP also quoted Ahmadi as saying the Taliban extended the deadline to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the request of Afghan government's chief negotiator Waheedullah Mujadadi.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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