Aid agencies warn of Iraq pullout after kidnappings

Match the words with their meanings: 1. kidnap 2. hostage 3. troops 4. aid 5. expatriate 6. reassess 7. aghast 8. flabbergasted a. a person held as a prisoner by people demanding money or political gestures b. shocked and extremely upset c. to consider something again d. soldiers e. to take someone away illegally and hold them as a prisoner f. absolutely astonished g. a person living in a foreign country h. help given by a country or an organisation to a country that needs it

Look in the text and find this information as quickly as possible: 1. Who is Ayman al-Zawahri? 2. What does the organisation Bridge to Baghdad do? 3. How many aid workers were kidnapped last week? 4. Find 4 aid organisations mentioned in the text. 5. What is the name of the Italian prime minister? 6. What is the name of the Australian prime minister?

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2004 Taken from the news section in www.onestopenglish.com

Aid agencies warn of Iraq pullout after kidnappings Sophie Arie and Luke Harding There are not many international aid agencies remaining in Iraq. The few agencies which still remain are now thinking of leaving after four aid workers were kidnapped last week. The aid workers, including two Italian women, were kidnapped from their headquarters in Baghdad. Jean-Dominique Bunel said some aid workers had already left as a result of this kidnapping and others were planning to leave very soon. Mr Bunel said: “Most international nongovernmental organisations are preparing to leave Iraq and some expatriate staff have already left. More will leave soon.” He said he did not know who had kidnapped the Italians, who work for an organisation called Bridge to Baghdad, which helps Iraqi children. An Iraqi group called Ansar al-Zawahri said it had kidnapped the women. In a message on an Islamist website, it said: "This is the first of our attacks against Italy." The name, which means Partisans of Zawahri, might be a reference to Osama bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahri. The security situation in Iraq is getting worse and almost all the main aid organisations, including the United Nations, the International Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres have now left the country. Those agencies that have stayed now have to reassess the situation because of the nature of the latest kidnapping. Twenty gunmen burst into the organisation's office in central Baghdad and kidnapped the aid workers. This

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2004 Taken from the news section in www.onestopenglish.com

was a change in strategy by the kidnappers, who have not attacked aid workers or women before, with the exception of one Japanese woman, who was kidnapped earlier this year. The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, asked opposition leaders to unite with his party in the crisis. He said he was "aghast and flabbergasted" that the kidnappers had attacked women because "the Islamic religion says that women are sacred". Opposition leaders repeated that they were against the war in Iraq and the presence of Italian soldiers there, but said that the most important thing now was to save the hostages. The kidnapping in Baghdad happened 10 days after the murder of the Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who was kidnapped while travelling to Najaf with the Italian Red Cross. Italy had refused to accept the kidnappers' demands for its troops to leave Iraq. On Monday a different militant group released a video of a hostage having his head cut off. The tape, from a group called Tawhid and Jihad, a group that may have links with the Jordanian al-Qaida militant Abu Musab alZarqawi, showed Durmus Kumdereli, a Turkish lorry driver. Mr Kumdereli was kidnapped while delivering goods to a US base in Mosul. He said that other transport companies and drivers should not help the occupying forces. Masked men then cut his head off. On Tuesday the Australian prime minister, John Howard, said he would not withdraw troops from Iraq after militants said they had kidnapped two Australian hostages. The Guardian Weekly 20-09-04

Decide whether these statements are True or False: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

There are a lot of international aid agencies working in Iraq. The kidnapping of the two Italians was the first time women had been kidnapped in Iraq. The women were kidnapped in their office. The Italian opposition is against the war in Iraq. Durmus Kundereli was killed because he was a lorry driver. The Australian prime minister intends to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq. The security situation in Iraq is improving. The Italian women were kidnapped by 2 gunmen.

Find the words which mean: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

the main office of an organisation to enter a room suddenly connected with God in a special way the opposite of ‘to agree’ or ‘to accept’ another word for ‘connections’ wearing a mask

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2004 Taken from the news section in www.onestopenglish.com

Complete the table with a noun that represents the person who performs the action:

eg. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Verb kidnap coordinate organise drive lead attack travel

Noun kidnapper ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Look at these different forms of the word ‘kidnap’: verb verbal noun noun

kidnap, kidnaps, kidnapped kidnapping(s) kidnapper(s)

Fill the gaps using an appropriate form of the word ‘kidnap’ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Four hostages were ____________ in Baghdad last week. The ____________ are members of a militant group. This was the latest in a number of ____________ in Iraq. The latest ____________ is a sign that the terrorists have changed their tactics. Many aid workers are now afraid of being ____________ . This is the first time that ____________ have attacked aid workers.

If your country is occupied by a foreign army, does that give you the right to kidnap and kill foreign civilians?

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2004 Taken from the news section in www.onestopenglish.com

1

Key Vocabulary

1. e;

2. a;

2

Find the information

3. d;

4. h;

5. g;

6. c;

7. b;

8. f

1. Osama-bin-Laden’s deputy. 2. It helps Iraqi children. 3. Four 4. Bridge to Baghdad, the United Nations, the International Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres 5. Silvio Berlusconi 6. John Howard 3

Comprehension Check

1. F;

2. F;

4

Vocabulary

3. T;

4. T;

5. F;

6. F;

7. F;

8. F

Find the Word

1. headquarters 4. to refuse

2. to burst in 5. links

3. sacred 6. masked

5

Vocabulary

1. 4.

coordinator leader

2. 5.

6

Grammar Focus

Different forms of a word

1. kidnapped 4. kidnapping

Verbs and Nouns organiser attacker

2. kidnappers 5. kidnapped

 Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2004 Taken from the news section in www.onestopenglish.com

3. 6.

3. kidnappings 6. kidnappers

driver traveller