[06 February 2005] BAGHDAD,(Saba) - An Islamic militant group in Iraq claimed responsibility for kidnapping an Italian journalist and threatened to kill her by Monday if Italy did not withdraw its troops from Iraq, following a kidnap claim from another group, according a statement on the Internet.

The statement, which appeared Saturday on an Internet bulletin board that serves as a clearinghouse for messages from extremist groups, said Giuliana Sgrena, 56, would be subjected to the ''rule of God,'' a phrase that usually means punishment by death in the lexicon of Islamic militant groups.

The Islamic Jihad Organization, claimed on Friday to have also taken Sgrena and set a 72-hour deadline for Italy to remove its troops, but did not specifically threaten to kill her.

TD

SABA