Trading Places

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Take me instead of Wood, says sheik

By Marian Wilkinson and agencies
May 26, 2005

Sydney Muslim leader Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly has offered to take the place of Australian hostage Douglas Wood, who has been held captive in Iraq for almost a month.

In a statement that was to be aired on Arabic TV in Iraq last night, Sheik Hilaly said: "I announce my sincere readiness to hand myself over to the captors to be a hostage in exchange for the sick Australian citizen, till the conditions of the brotherly captors are met in the way they want."

Sheik Hilaly, who flew to Iraq earlier this month to help secure Mr Wood's release, has also asked the kidnappers to show video proof that the 63-year-old engineer is still alive. He issued his statement through the Australian Embassy in Iraq.

...In Sydney last night, the president of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australian, Keysar Trad, said Sheik Hilaly told him he was to appear on two Arabic television stations and expected a response "very soon after".

He said the mufti was "entirely positive" the offer would lead to Mr Wood's release.

This is a new approach.

Sheik Hilaly is certainly doing all he can to get Mr. Wood released.