Kidnappers give UK 10 days
2007-12-04 16:40
Dubai - Kidnappers of five Britons held in Iraq since May issued a demand for Britain to leave Iraq or they would kill one hostage as "first warning", in a video aired by Al Arabiya television on Tuesday.
Dated November 18, the video set a deadline of 10 days from the date it was broadcast for Britain to pull out of Iraq.
The video showed a statement in which the group threatened that "this hostage will be killed as a first warning, which would be followed with details that you would not wish to know".
"My name is Jason. Today is November 18. I have been here now 173 days and I feel we've been forgotten," said one of the hostages on the video as he sat in front of a banner of the Shi'ite Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
He was filmed with two masked militants pointing assault rifles at him as he sat on the floor.
In London, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: "No matter what the cause, hostage-taking can never be justified. We again call on those holding the men to release them unconditionally."
"We condemn the publication of this video which serves only to add to the distress of the mens' family and friends," the spokesperson added.
- Reuters