Al-Qaida threatens to kill British hostage

LONDON, April 27 (UPI) -- A British hostage will die within 20 days unless extremist cleric Abu Qatada is released from a maximum-security jail, al-Qaida's North Africa arm says.

In a message posted on a Web site known to be used by Islamic terrorist groups, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb said the unnamed British man, thought to have been kidnapped in January on the border between Mali and Niger near Timbuktu, will die unless Abu Qatada is released from Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire, England, The Times of London reported Monday.

"We demand that Britain release Sheikh Abu Qatada, who is unjustly held, for the release of its British citizen. We give it 20 days as of the issuance of this statement," the message read.

The newspaper said Abu Qatada, who has been identified by some as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, is regarded by the British government as the most dangerous Islamic ideologue ever to have operated from the country.

He is fighting a deportation order to Jordan after being arrested in 2002 under emergency anti-terror laws. He denies any connection to al-Qaida, The Times said.