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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Brown in talks on 'hostage' video | Brown in talks on 'hostage' video |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki about a video apparently showing a Briton captured in Iraq. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki about a video apparently showing a Briton captured in Iraq. |
| The footage, aired on an Arabic TV channel, appears to show one of five captured Britons appealing to Mr Brown to help secure their freedom. | |
| The man says in English: "My name is Peter Moore, I have been held here for nearly eight months now." | |
| Downing Street said Mr Brown and Mr Maliki had spoken on the telephone. | |
| In the footage, the man asks Mr Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the release of the Britons, who were seized in May 2007. | |
| All I want is to leave this place... release their prisoners so we can go Peter Moore,Captured Briton | |
| A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister has been in close contact with Prime Minister Maliki on this issue and discussed it again with him over the phone this morning. | |
| "Both leaders deplored the taking and public parading of hostages and agreed to continue their close cooperation to secure their early release." | "Both leaders deplored the taking and public parading of hostages and agreed to continue their close cooperation to secure their early release." |
| The five men were seized from Baghdad's Finance Ministry by gunmen wearing police uniforms on 29 May 2007 without a shot being fired. | The five men were seized from Baghdad's Finance Ministry by gunmen wearing police uniforms on 29 May 2007 without a shot being fired. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad said little was known about the hostage-takers, who call themselves the Islamic Shia Resistance in Iraq, as they had not been heard of before. | The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad said little was known about the hostage-takers, who call themselves the Islamic Shia Resistance in Iraq, as they had not been heard of before. |
| Not authenticated | Not authenticated |
| He said they could be connected to the Mehdi Army militia or have possible links with Iran. | He said they could be connected to the Mehdi Army militia or have possible links with Iran. |
| The video has not yet been authenticated but he said there was "little to doubt the veracity of it". | The video has not yet been authenticated but he said there was "little to doubt the veracity of it". |
| In the video the man, who is wearing a black and white tracksuit and says he is from Lincoln, says: "All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: release their prisoners so we can go. | In the video the man, who is wearing a black and white tracksuit and says he is from Lincoln, says: "All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: release their prisoners so we can go. |
| "It's as simple as that. It's a simple exchange of people. That is all they want - their people, and we can go home." | "It's as simple as that. It's a simple exchange of people. That is all they want - their people, and we can go home." |
| Security experts said he looked as though he had been forced into making the statement and, although he appeared physically well, seemed to be under extreme stress. | |
| BBC News security correspondent Frank Gardner said on Tuesday the kidnappers appeared to have mellowed their tone since the release of a previous tape in December 2007. | BBC News security correspondent Frank Gardner said on Tuesday the kidnappers appeared to have mellowed their tone since the release of a previous tape in December 2007. |
| In that footage, one of the four British bodyguards, seized along with IT consultant Mr Moore, was flanked by gunmen and warned of an ultimatum. | In that footage, one of the four British bodyguards, seized along with IT consultant Mr Moore, was flanked by gunmen and warned of an ultimatum. |
| 'Negotiable aims' | 'Negotiable aims' |
| Our correspondent said: "The good news is that in the extremely brutal and violent world of Iraqi abductions these men appear to be relatively moderate. | Our correspondent said: "The good news is that in the extremely brutal and violent world of Iraqi abductions these men appear to be relatively moderate. |
| "They've got negotiable aims, although of course Britain doesn't officially negotiate with hostage-takers. | "They've got negotiable aims, although of course Britain doesn't officially negotiate with hostage-takers. |
| "The fact that they... appear to be keeping [these men] alive, reasonably well fed, not chained up, and that they haven't apparently executed any of them after more than eight months is encouraging." | |
| The Foreign Office condemned the video and encouraged anyone who may have influence over the kidnappers to do what they could to ensure the hostages' release. | The Foreign Office condemned the video and encouraged anyone who may have influence over the kidnappers to do what they could to ensure the hostages' release. |