Douglas Wood: Eye to Eye

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Australian Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly says he has seen kidnapped Australian hostage Douglas Wood and he is alive and relatively well, a spokesman said today.

Ikebal Patel, from the Federation of Islamic Councils, said he had spoken to Sheik al Hilaly, a leading Muslim cleric, who confirmed he had seen Mr Wood in the flesh.

He said Mr Wood had received medication for his heart condition and the Sheik was now working on his immediate release.

...Mr Patel said he had spoken with Sheik al Hilaly over the phone on Thursday.

"He said to me: 'I've seen him eye to eye', those were the words he used, eye to eye, it was Douglas," he told the Seven Network.

"What we do know is he is alive, the mufti's words is: 'He is okay under the circumstance, he is well,' and the aim is to now to try and get him out of there ASAP, to try get him the urgent medical attention that is required.

"Medication has been given to him so that is very welcome news."

..."I did ask him again, I said: 'This is big news, this is great news' and his words were: 'Look, I've seen him eye to eye'," he said.

"I'm encouraged by that, I said 'I'm very very happy' and I think we all should be."