Beheading video raises fears for Italian hostages

The plight of two young Italian volunteers kidnapped in Syria has caused increased anxiety in Italy following the beheading of American journalist James Foley. Aid workers Vanessa Marzullo, 20, from Bergamo, and Greta Ramelli, 21, of Varese, were abducted while working in the war-torn city of Aleppo on August 1. Vanessa’s father Salvatore Marzullo said on Friday: “We are optimistic and hope to be able to hug Vanessa and her friend Greta soon, even though our anxiety is growing.” The women founded the Horryaty project in April to ferry aid from Turkey to Syria, according to the project’s Facebook page, which said they entered Syria on July 28 from the Atma refugee camp. Earlier this week it was suggested that the pair, who have reportedly visited Syria several times since 2012 to work on medical aid projects, were in the hands of the Islamic State.

The report by The Guardian newspaper in London was denied by the Italian Foreign Ministry. On Thursday, London-based Arabic newspaper al Quds al Arabi reported the women were being held by a Syrian rebel group other than IS. The story said they were in “good health” and likely to be released soon.

Quoting a source from Islamist group Ahrar ash Sham, which has links to al-Qaeda, the report said one of the Italians’ kidnappers had recently been captured by Ahrar ash Sham.

The source identified the kidnapper as a “member of a Syrian opposition brigade” who was captured near Sarmada, close to the Turkish border.

The newspaper claimed the Italian authorities are negotiating a ransom payment. The Foreign Ministry has slapped a news blackout on efforts to release the girls and declined to comment.

However, the Italian intelligence service has been reportedly working for months to secure the release of Jesuit priest Paolo Dall’Oglio, who was kidnapped in Syria in July last year.

Intermediaries previously used to free other Italians abducted in the Middle East - including Domenico Quirico, a journalist released last year- are being utilized, Italian foreign ministry sources said.