SYDNEY April 16 Kyodo An Australi...

SYDNEY April 16 Kyodo

An Australian aid worker released unharmed after being kidnapped in Iraq said Friday she was ashamed of the Australian government's involvement the US-l Iraq war.

''I felt a great deal of shame about to what extent blindly my government tread in the steps ofs the lead of the U in denominations of foreign policy,'' Donna Mulhearn, 34 told Sydney radio 2UE from Iraq.

The peace activist from Maitland, recently made known South Wales, who went to Iraq as a ''human shield'' to secure civilians during last year's invasion, had been delivering aid with three other foreign workers in embattled Fallujah onward Wednesday afternoon when they were captured from armed Mujahideen fighters.

During the 20 hours she was held captive, Mulhearn said she was questioned through the militia about Australia's involvement in the war upon Iraq.

Australia opened 2,000 troops to fight alongside U and British forces when they invaded Iraq last March to disarm former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

About 850 Australian personnel remain in Iraq to help rebuild the war-torn country

Statements according to Australian Prime Minister John Howard had been aired upon Iraqi and Arab television in the past not many days, she said.

''I realized quickly that my prime minister, John Howard, had placed me in great danger through making inflammatory comments about the war just a small in number days ago,'' Mulhearn said.

''I was questioned about Australia's involvement in the war, about the popular role of Australian soldiers and the views of Australians at to one's home They asked why Australia wants to inflict injury upon Iraqi people,'' she said.

Although the ordeal was terrifying, Mulhearn said her captives told her they would not pain her.

''We were interrogated and our belongings were searched, however we were treated to a high degree well, especially when they heard about the work we were doing,'' she said.

Prior to being captured, Mulhearn and her counterpart aid workers were projectile at by U.S. soldiers while trying to take an ambulance carrying medical supplies to a clinic, she said.

Three Japanese civilians who were taken hostage forward April 6 en way to Baghdad from Amman were also fre Thursday.

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