TWO Iraqi hostages captured with Douglas Wood were murdered in mid-May.
The revelation raises serious questions about why the Mufti of Australia, Sheik Taj el-Din el-Hilaly, accused Iraqi forces of risking their lives during the Wood rescue mission.
The men, Faris Shakir and Adel Farhaway Najm, were shot and hanged after being tortured, and their bodies dumped at a rubbish tip.
The bodies were held by police until identified by their families on Friday, and immediately buried. But Sheik el-Hilaly yesterday continued to insist he was worried about them.
"He's quite concerned for those other two people, people who were friends of Douglas Wood, people who had worked with Douglas Wood, people who used to invite him into their homes," said the sheik's spokesman, Keysar Trad.
"The mufti has dealt with the children of one of these people and he's really concerned for these children that they might become orphans."
It is not clear why the families had not told the mufti of the men's fate several days after they had buried their bodies.
Defence Minister Robert Hill described the mufti's claims as illogical.
"The life of any kidnapped person is in danger and most of them don't escape with their lives," Senator Hill said.
"He seemed to be saying that Mr Wood shouldn't have been rescued, should have waited until a time might have occurred when all three had been produced."
A Swedish hostage who spent weeks in captivity with Mr Wood may have given the US information that helped secure the release of the 63-year-old Australian engineer.
Ulf Hjertstrom, also 63, an oil broker who has lived in Baghdad for 14 years, was freed from his own 67-day ordeal on May 30.
Sweden's Aftonbladet newspaper has reported how Mr Hjertstrom, who was taken to US authorities after his release, was interrogated about his time as a hostage.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed yesterday that Mr Wood spent part of his time in captivity with a Swedish national.
Mr Wood was found last Wednesday during a routine search and cordon operation by Iraqi troops, backed by US forces. An Iraqi was also released.
Details remain sketchy, with Australian officials saying Mr Wood's rescuers received intelligence that led them to the house in the dangerous Baghdad suburb of Ghazaliya. However, Iraqi and US forces put the rescue down to good luck more than anything else.
Mr Wood, who returned to Australia on Monday, revealed some details but declined to answer a number of questions, saying it was still too traumatic.
He is expected to give a fuller picture in a paid interview with Channel 10 to air on Sunday.
Senator Hill said Mr Wood should be allowed to profit from his 47-day kidnap ordeal through book and media deals.
Mr Trad said Mr Wood would be in mortal danger if he returned to Iraq after calling his kidnappers "a---holes".
"I would be very concerned for his safety, especially after the comments that he's made yesterday," Mr Trad said.
Mr Wood was beaten, shackled and humiliated during his 47-day ordeal that ended after a tip-off led Iraqi troops to his location. Mr Trad said the mufti expected the captors to soon release a statement about the saga.
His family has convinced Mr Wood never to return to Iraq under any circumstances.
