A group of militants claimed Thursday to have killed the two Italian women hostages in Iraq and promised to provide film proof of their beheading. But the Italian government urged "maximum caution," saying the claims could be part of a terrorist campaign.

The second claim to have beheaded Simona Pari and Simona Torretta in 24 hours could not be verified immediately. It appeared on a little-known Web site. In defending the killing of the two aid workers, the group Supporters of al-Zawahri gave reasons that were not among their initial demands to spare the hostages' lives.

"The heads of the two criminal agents of Italian intelligence, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta have been chopped off by knife without pity or mercy," said the claim. "The video of cutting off the heads of the two Italian hostages will be issued soon." from AP


See  http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=3300 for more info about the women.