Afghan militants who threatened to behead three kidnapped U.N. election workers by Friday evening have extended the deadline for meeting their demands until Saturday evening, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported Friday. A spokesman for the Jaish-e-Muslimeen militants, Sayed Khalid, told AIP the group had received assurances Friday from the government that negotiations for their release would resume on Saturday. Khalid also told AIP the health of the hostages was deteriorating due to inhospitable weather conditions. Militants wearing military uniforms set up a roadblock in Kabul and abducted the three on October 28 after stopping their U.N. vehicle. The hostages have been identified as Annetta Flanigan, from Northern Ireland, a Filipino diplomat, Angelito Nayan, and Kosovan national Shqipe Hebibi. The militants, a breakaway Taliban group, have demanded a withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and release of Moslem prisoners held by the U.S. in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. --SP 0110 Local Time 2210 GMT
