Political leaders and the family of a Swedish citizen kidenapped in Iraq demonstrated in the Swedish capital Saturday, calling for the man's release and urging the country to get more involved in preventing his threatened execution. Minas Ibrahim al-Yousifi, the purported leader of the Christian Democratic Party in Iraq, was kidnapped more than a month ago, and his kidnappers have threatened to decapitate him unless a ransom is paid. About 100 people, including al-Yousifi's children and sister, along with lawmakers from the seven parties in parliament, gathered at a downtown square «to show that Sweden's people stand united in demanding his release,» said Cecilia Wikstroem, a People's Party lawmaker who organized the event. Sweden's Foreign Ministry said that it is using diplomatic channels to negotiate for al-Yousifi's release. «We're working very actively on it, that's all I can say,» Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Aasa Arvidsson said Saturday.
