sheik alhilali in bid to save douglas wood

THE leader of Australia's Muslim community yesterday offered to fly to Iraq to seek the release of Australian hostage Douglas Wood.

Sheik Taj Eldeen Alhilali made the offer at a meeting with Mr Wood's brothers Malcolm and Vernon at Sydney's Lakemba Mosque.
After the meeting, Sheik Alhilali filmed an appeal in Arabic - with the brothers by his side - to Mr Wood's kidnappers to release him.

It will be screened on Arabic TV station Aljazeera.

Sheik Alhilali told the Wood family that he stood willing to do anything he could to secure Douglas Wood's release.

"I regard him as our brother, a fellow Australian, an innocent man. He should not suffer because of politics whether they be right or wrong," he said.

The meeting came after new video images emerged of a shaven-headed Mr Wood who had clearly been beaten by Iraqi insurgents.

Suffering from black eyes, Mr Wood is seen with two gunmen pointing their weapons at his head while he holds up a passport to identify himself.

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On the tape he is heard to say: "Move out of Iraq or I will be killed."

The footage was screened by Aljazeera early yesterday morning.

It said the insurgents had given Australia 72 hours to withdraw its troops from Iraq. This deadline will pass about 5am Tuesday.

In his direct appeal to the kidnappers, the controversial cleric called on them torelease Mr Wood on behalf of the Australian Muslim community.

Malcolm Wood told The Sunday Telegraph his family was deeply appreciative of the sheik's offer to help.

"We are sure the Mufti has credibility among the Sunni people and his appeals for the life and safety of our brother Douglas are very important.

"We are extremely grateful for his support," Mr Wood said.

Sheik Alhilali is a Sunni Muslim, as are Mr Wood's suspected kidnappers.

It is believed the sheik will hold high-level talks with senior government officials before any trip to intervene in the hostage situation takes place.

However, he said he was willing to do whatever it takes, whenever, in order to help the Wood family. Asked when he might leave for Iraq, the sheik said: "Who knows? Maybe tomorrow."

Australia already has a negotiating team in Baghdad, headed by senior diplomat Nick Warner.

The sheik also revealed he had contacted senior Sunni clerics in Baghdad on Friday night to press them to use their influence to help Mr Wood.

Also attending yesterday's meeting in a united show of support was the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Ameer Ali, who had travelled from Perth to help the Wood family.

Earlier yesterday, the Wood family appealed to Douglas's captors to treat him like a "brother, father, husband" as a 72-hour deadline was placed on his life.

The deadline did not specify what would happen if the demand was ignored but, previously, foreign hostages have been killed in similar circumstances.

The Federal Government said it would not give in to the threat but would continue efforts to try to free Mr Wood, a 63-year-old engineer who has lived in the US for much of his life.

Malcolm Wood said that his family was shocked and horrified to hear of the new ultimatum. "We appeal again to Douglas's captors to think of him as a brother, a father, a husband - not as goods to be cruelly treated - and to release him unharmed," Mr Wood said.

"Douglas is a warm man of generous heart and spirit. His work is to help the people of Iraq towards a better life.

"We respect the people of Iraq, their patriotic spirit and their right to independence. We do not believe Douglas's captivity, or this ultimatum, will make any difference to the policy of the Australian Government."