British hostages 'threatened with death'
Updated on 04 December 2007
One of five Britons kidnapped in Iraq in May has been threatened with death unless the UK leaves Iraq, according to a video aired on Arabic TV.
In a video broadcast by Al Arabiya which was dated November 18, the captors said they would kill one hostage as a "first warning".
The video set a deadline of ten days from its broadcast for Britain to pull out of Iraq.
It 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".
One of the hostages on the video is shown sitting in front of a banner of the Shi'ite Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
He says: "My name is Jason. Today is November 18. I have been here now 173 days and I feel we've been forgotten."
He was filmed with two masked militants pointing assault rifles at him as he sat on the floor.
In London, a Foreign Office spokesman 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."
© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
