Iraq Sunni Tribal Chief Claims Some Credit For Filipino's Release

BAGHDAD, July 20 (AFP) - An Iraqi tribal leader claimed some credit for the release of a Filipino hostage on Tuesday, saying he had issued a humanitarian appeal to his captors.
Sheikh Jamal al-Dulaimi, from a Sunni region of western Iraq where truck driver Angelo de la Cruz was seized two weeks ago, met with the freed hostage an and Philippine officials at their Baghdad embassy.
Although Dulaimi denied being involved in any negotiations to release the father of eight, he said he had issued "a humanitarian appeal to his captors," and thanked them for responding to it.
He denied any money was paid to secure de la Cruz's release.
"Iraqis don't need money. We are just an occupied country, and as you know these things like hostage-taking happen in an occupied country," said Dulaimi.
"They only wanted Philippine troops out of Iraq and when Manila carried that out they released Angelo."
Tribal ties run deep in Iraq's patriarchal society especially in the western regions which include the flashpoints of Fallujah and Ramadi.
Both towns are in the vast Anbar province, whose limits straddle Iraq's southwestern frontiers with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
De la Cruz was abducted on July 7 as he entered Iraq from Saudi Arabia.