US, Italian hostages 'converted to Islam' before being killed in drone strike

Al Qaeda spokesperson says Warren Weinstein and Italian Lo Porto Giovanni had both converted to Islam

ISLAMABAD: US and Italian hostages who were killed in a US drone strike conducted in January near the Pak-Afghan border 'converted to Islam' during captivity, according to al Qaeda leadership. 

It was confirmed by the White House in April that American national Warren Weinstein and Italian Lo Porto Giovanni were killed in the US-led drone strike in an operation targeting an al Qaeda associated compound.

Both deaths were regretted by President Barack Obama as he took "full responsibility" for the accidental killings during the drone strike in a televised address on April 24.

Read: US aid worker kidnapped in Pakistan killed in CIA drone strike

Spokesperson for the al Qaeda Indian sub-continent branch, Usama Mahmood, claimed that both hostages had converted to Islam and declared them 'martyrs'. A copy of the statement was posted online and made available to the media.

“Americans neither killed Warren Weinstein nor Giovanni Lo Porto in a so called anti-terrorism campaign. But they martyred our esteemed and respected uncle Ishaq, the American, and respected brother Muhammad, the Italian by targeting them in a drone strike,” the statement said.

“The video of Uncle Ishaq regarding his acceptance of Islam will be released,” it also said.

Read: Abducted by al Qaeda in Pakistan, Warren Weinstein urges Obama for help

The statement concluded by adding that "Uncle accepted Islam in the beginning of 2013 and from the first day of his conversion to Islam he started the blessed struggle to gain Islamic knowledge. Apart from his elderly status, Uncle proved himself to be a diligent student of the Islamic knowledge."

Weinstein, 73, was abducted in August 2011 from his home in Lahore while Italian aid worker Lo Porto, 39, had reportedly gone missing in Pakistan since January 2012.