Akihiko Saito

From Kyodo News:

Iraq gov't offers to help search for Saito

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 07:15 JST
TOKYO — The Iraqi government has offered to help find Akihiko Saito, a Japanese security consultant who went missing in Iraq earlier this month, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Monday.

Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr conveyed the position during talks Sunday with Japanese Ambassador to Iraq Toshiro Suzuki, the official said. Jabr was quoted as telling Suzuki the Iraqi government has received no demands from those who attacked and kidnapped Saito and has obtained no new clues to his whereabouts.
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The fact that the Iraqi government has offered to help search for Mr. Saito, even though it hasn't received any reports about him from the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, should provide Mr. Saito's family with some hope that he will be found and that their anguish from all the uncertainty will be alleviated.