The mother of an Italian aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan made a plea today to the mothers of the men holding her, asking them to help secure her daughter's freedom.
In Italy, Pope Benedict called for the release of Clementina Cantoni, 32, who works for the Care international aid agency and was kidnapped by four gunmen on a Kabul street three weeks ago.
"I imagine you have enough problems right now to pay attention to my plea, but I am a mother exactly like all of you, and my heart is bleeding because of the situation my daughter is in," Germana Cantoni said in the letter.
"I beg you all to use all your influence on your sons for the immediate release of my daughter," she said. A copy of the letter was released by the Interior Ministry. Officials say they believe Cantoni's kidnappers are criminals, not Islamic militants, but they have declined to reveal their demands or say who they are.
They say negotiations are going on and they remain hopeful Cantoni will be released.
Cantoni's abduction has raised fresh fears among Kabul's 2,000-strong foreign community of Iraq-style kidnappings by anti-government insurgents or criminals. In St. Peter's Square in Rome, the pope spoke of brotherly relations between all people.
"The painful experience our sister is living is a catalyst for seeking, by all means, peaceful and brotherly relationships between individuals and nations," the pope said to clapping from a crowd of tens of thousands. Afghan and Italian negotiators have come close to freeing Cantoni three times in the last few days but talks broke down with the kidnappers, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported today.
Cantoni has been living in Afghanistan for three years, most recently working on a project helping thousands of impoverished widows. Many of the women she helped have been rallying to demand her release. Muslim clerics and scholars as well as politicians and celebrities from both countries have called for her to be set free.