Iraqi-Italian 'killed by captors'
ROME, Italy (CNN) -- An Iraqi man who has lived in Italy since 1980 has been killed by abductors in Iraq, his brother said Monday.
Ayad Anwar Wali, a 43-year-old businessman, was kidnapped August 31 in Baghdad. His brother Emad told CNN the Italian foreign ministry informed his family Monday that Wali had been killed.
"He was killed like an animal," Emad Anwar Wali said.
It was not immediately known how Italian officials confirmed the death.
The Italian Foreign Ministry did not immediately return calls from CNN.
Wali's kidnapping has received tremendous attention in Italy, but his brother accused the government Monday of having failed to take steps to save his brother's life. "He was abandoned," he said.
He said the abductors never issued any demands.
Asked what the government could have done, he replied, "They could have done something through the Iraqi authorities, through other Arab countries. But they didn't do anything. He was killed because he was considered an Italian."
Italy has 3,000 peacekeeping troops in Iraq. The country did not participate in the U.S.-led war.
The Wali brothers have long run a furniture company. Ayad Anwar Wali, who had one son, was in Iraq hoping to drum up some new business, his brother said.
Emad Anwar Wali said he was on the phone with his brother when the abduction occurred. "He said, 'There are some people coming, I have to go.'" Hours later, as he called frantically, Emad learned from a friend of his brother that Ayad had been kidnapped.
--CNN Producer Flavia Taggiasco contributed to this report
