IRAQ: Kidnappers holding seven foreign truck drivers hostage in Iraq threatened to kill one of them today if they received no response to their demands.
In a videotape given to foreign news organisations yesterday, the kidnappers did not say which hostage among three Indians, three Kenyans and one Egyptian they were threatening to kill by 7 p.m. (1500 GMT) today.
But the footage showed a masked man pointing an M-16 automatic rifle at the head of an Indian hostage, who was wearing orange clothing and appeared very frightened.
"If no one responds to us, we will slaughter one of the hostages on Friday, July 30 at 7 p.m.," said a voice on the tape.
The drivers work for a transport company, which had said it was in talks to secure the release of the drivers, who were seized more than a week ago. But the company had said it would not pull out of Iraq.
Groups of kidnappers have often dressed hostages in orange clothing before killing them, usually by beheading. The clothing mimics the orange jumpsuits worn by prisoners in US detention, including at Guantanamo.
Last night, a militant group in Iraq said it was holding four Jordanian workers to pressure their transport company to stop co-operation with US forces.
A tape aired by Dubai TV showed four men holding up their identification papers for the camera. A statement by the 'Death Squad of Iraqi Resistance' vowed to take "appropriate measures" if the company did not cease working with the Americans. - (Reuters)