Afghan militants seek hostage exchange

KABUL, Afghanistan — Militants threatening to kill three kidnapped U.N. workers said Sunday they handed over a list of 26 prisoners, some possibly held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who they would take in exchange for the hostages.

A purported spokesman for the Taliban splinter group claiming to hold the three foreigners also said it might drop its other demands, which include a U.N. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Ishaq Manzoor told the Associated Press that the list was given to Afghan officials during talks at a secret location on Sunday afternoon.

A three-person government delegation asked for two days to look for the prisoners and find out whether they are in Afghanistan or outside, and if in Afghanistan where they are being held, Manzoor said in a telephone call.

The talks could resume on Tuesday, he said.

Neither the United Nations nor the government has confirmed any contact with the kidnappers, though Afghan officials insist they are making progress toward the hostages’ release.

Another spokesman for the Jaish-al Muslimeen, or Army of Muslims, said it was represented in the talks by two businessmen acting as go-betweens.

Sadir Momin said the group was “hopeful that the government and the United Nations will accept some of our demands. It is likely that we may relax some of our conditions.”

The group has previously said that some of the prisoners it wants freed may be at Guantanamo Bay, or in U.S. and Afghan jails in Afghanistan. It has also demanded that the United Nations and British troops withdraw from Afghanistan.

Momin didn’t say which of these demands could be eased and none of the militants’ claims could be independently verified.

The kidnapping of Annetta Flanigan of Northern Ireland, Angelito Nayan of the Philippines and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo was the first against foreigners in Kabul since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.