Italian investigators to question French hostages over Baldoni

ROME, Dec 23 (AFP) - Magistrates in Rome investigating the murder in Iraq of Italian hostage Enzo Baldoni have asked French authorities for permission to question the two recently freed French journalists about the case.
Investigating magistrate Franco Ionta wants to verify reports that Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot had been held in the same place and by the same group which kidnapped Baldoni, a journalist executed by his captors within days of his abduction in August.
A militant group calling itself The Islamic Army in Iraq claimed in October to have taken the three men hostage.
Meanwhile, Baldoni's family said it would contact the two French journalists for more information about the circumstances which led to his execution on August 26.
"We'll call them, but not straight away. For now, we'll leave them alone. However, we need to try to understand what happened to my brother," Sandro Baldoni was quoted by the ANSA news agency as saying.

12/23/2004 13:48 GMT - AFP