A Jordanian businessman has been taken hostage in Baghdad, the second to be kidnapped within 24 hours, a Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. A Jordanian citizen in Iraq informed the ministry that Taha al-Maharmeh was kidnapped Tuesday, ministry spokesman Ali Al Ayed said. "The embassy and the ministry are investigating the information and continue their efforts to ensure the release of the two men," al-Ayed told The Associated Press. He did not provide other details. On Monday, Jordanian Jamal Sadeq al-Salaymeh was kidnapped from his home in al-Saydiyah, a residential area on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital. Al-Salaymeh, who works as an agent for a Japanese firm in Baghdad, told his office manager in a telephone call that the kidnappers had demanded US$250,000 in ransom. Al-Ayed also said Wednesday that the ministry was investigating the fate of another Jordanian, Wael Mamduh Qushha, whose family has reported that he was kidnapped in the southern Iraqi city of Basra four months ago. Qushha worked for the Basra based-British firm International Support Services (ISS).
