Terrorist kidnappers of journalists demand reversal of French headscarf ban

The Pope yesterday backed appeals for the release of two French journalists held captive and threatened with death in Iraq. He appealed for the two to be "treated with humanity and returned unharmed to their families as soon as possible". At the same time, he condemned terrorist attacks in Israel and Russia. President Jacques Chirac's swift deployment of his chief diplomats in the Middle East since the kidnapping has already brought calls for the men to be freed from Yasser Arafat, Muammar Gaddafi, the Arab League, a leading Iraqi Sunni cleric and the Arab TV station Al-Jazeera. In France, the crisis has led to a show of national unity. The Islamist group that seized the two reporters has demanded the withdrawal of legislation prohibiting the wearing of religious symbols such as Christian crosses, Muslim headscarves and skullcaps in schools. The ban takes effect today with the return of pupils to school after the summer vacation.