Afghan militants holding three United Nations workers, one of whom is Irish, have threatened to kill them unless all Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners are released from US custody by noon (7.30 a.m Irish time) on Wednesday.
The leader of Jaish-e-Muslimeen (Army of Muslims) told Reuters that the UN must also cease operations in Afghanistan, or the hostages would be killed "in such a way by which Muslims will be happy".
The group also released a video of the hostages to the Arabic TV channel Al Jazeera today showing them in good health.
The three - Ms Annetta Flanigan from Co Armagh; Ms Anjelito Nayan from the Philippines; and Mr Shqipe Hebibi from Kosovo - were snatched from their UN vehicle in Kabul on Thursday.
They had been helping to organise Afghanistan's first presidential election, which was held on October 9th.
Mullah Sayed Mohammed Akbar Agha, leader of the kidnap group, told Reuters in an interview that the group had four demands. "The UN should leave Afghanistan and it should call Britain and America's meddling in Afghanistan as illegal," he said.
"Those who have no military involvement in Afghanistan, such as Philippines, must call Britain and America's meddling in Afghanistan as illegal and must stop its contributions through the UN for America and Britain's activities."
He also demanded that Kosovo and Britain immediately withdraw their forces from Afghanistan and that all Muslim prisoners in Afghanisan and Cuba, "be they Taliban or Al Qaeda", be freed.
The kidnappings have stoked fears among the 2,000-strong foreign community that militants in Afghanistan may be copying tactics used by insurgents in Iraq.
But a spokesman for the Taliban distanced the group from the kidnappings.
"We have no comment about the issue. It is their work and we are not involved in it," said Mr Hamid Agha, chief spokesman for the Taliban.
The Jaish-e-Muslimeen has already proved they are holding the three by giving Reuters credit card numbers that authorities have confirmed are genuine.
Security sources say that so far the group has only contacted a handful of journalists in about the kidnappings, and investigators are trying to open up channels of communication with them.
"We call on those holding them not to harm them," United Nations spokesman Manoel de Silva e Almeida told a news briefing today.
"All three require medical attention and the best response to such a situation is their immediate release." He would not give additional details for fear of jeopardising the investigation.