France mulls moves to help hostage as lawmaker puts conditions on his aid

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2005

PARIS (AFP) — France was mulling its options to free a reporter taken hostage in Iraq as one of its lawmakers with links to Iraqi insurgents infuriated authorities by putting conditions on his aid.

Didier Julia, a maverick member of President Jacques Chirac's ruling UMP party, said in a statement to AFP that he stood ready to help efforts to free Florence Aubenas, a correspondent for France's newspaper Liberation -- but only if a criminal investigation hanging over two of his assistants was lifted.

Aubenas, looking gaunt and desperate, made a plea for Julia to help free her in a video released by her unidentified abductors and broadcast Tuesday.

"This is urgent now. Help me! I ask especially Mr Didier Julia, the French deputy. Please Mr Julia. Help me! It's...