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| Iraq abduction anniversary marked | Iraq abduction anniversary marked |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The families of five British men being held hostage in Iraq are marking a year without their loved ones. | The families of five British men being held hostage in Iraq are marking a year without their loved ones. |
| The civilian contractors, were kidnapped by armed militants at the Iraqi Ministry of Finance in Baghdad. | |
| Some of their friends and relatives have marked the anniversary with an exclusive interview with the BBC. | Some of their friends and relatives have marked the anniversary with an exclusive interview with the BBC. |
| In it, the sister of one man, named only as Jason, appeals to the kidnappers to release her brother, saying "We miss him dearly." | In it, the sister of one man, named only as Jason, appeals to the kidnappers to release her brother, saying "We miss him dearly." |
| The father of another hostage, named as Alec, tells how he went into "shock" when he heard his son had been seized. | The father of another hostage, named as Alec, tells how he went into "shock" when he heard his son had been seized. |
| 'Sensitive negotiations' | 'Sensitive negotiations' |
| A friend of another man, also called Jason, tells how much he loves his only daughter, and how much the child misses her father. | A friend of another man, also called Jason, tells how much he loves his only daughter, and how much the child misses her father. |
| The Foreign and Commonwealth Office says sensitive negotiations for the men's release are going on behind the scenes. | The Foreign and Commonwealth Office says sensitive negotiations for the men's release are going on behind the scenes. |
| But earlier this month, the father of one of the captives accused the government of not keeping the families fully informed. | But earlier this month, the father of one of the captives accused the government of not keeping the families fully informed. |
| One of the hostages has been named as IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, who was working for Bearingpoint, an American management consultancy. | One of the hostages has been named as IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, who was working for Bearingpoint, an American management consultancy. |
| The other four men, who were employed by a security firm to guard Mr Moore, have not been officially identified | The other four men, who were employed by a security firm to guard Mr Moore, have not been officially identified |
| Hostage videos | Hostage videos |
| Over the past 12 months the kidnappers, calling themselves the Islamic Shiite Resistance in Iraq, have released two videos of the captives. | Over the past 12 months the kidnappers, calling themselves the Islamic Shiite Resistance in Iraq, have released two videos of the captives. |
| In December, a film was broadcast on Dubai-based TV station Al-Arabiya warning one hostage would be killed unless British troops were withdrawn from Iraq. | In December, a film was broadcast on Dubai-based TV station Al-Arabiya warning one hostage would be killed unless British troops were withdrawn from Iraq. |
| One of the men, who said his name was Jason, was shown in the clip complaining that the kidnapped men felt they had been "forgotten". | One of the men, who said his name was Jason, was shown in the clip complaining that the kidnapped men felt they had been "forgotten". |
| A second video, broadcast by Al-Arabiya in February, showed Mr Moore asking Prime Minister Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the Britons' release. | A second video, broadcast by Al-Arabiya in February, showed Mr Moore asking Prime Minister Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the Britons' release. |
| The threat to kill the hostage was apparently not carried out. | The threat to kill the hostage was apparently not carried out. |
| The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, took the unusual step of recording a direct video appeal to the kidnappers earlier this month. | The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, took the unusual step of recording a direct video appeal to the kidnappers earlier this month. |
| The case has not featured in the media as much as other kidnappings in Iraq - including those of Ken Bigley and Margaret Hassan - because of a Foreign Office request for minimal coverage, made in keeping with the wishes of the men's families. | The case has not featured in the media as much as other kidnappings in Iraq - including those of Ken Bigley and Margaret Hassan - because of a Foreign Office request for minimal coverage, made in keeping with the wishes of the men's families. |
| The kidnappers had asked for a media blackout and the Foreign Office said it did not want anything to get in the way of its negotiations, through third parties, to get the men released. | The kidnappers had asked for a media blackout and the Foreign Office said it did not want anything to get in the way of its negotiations, through third parties, to get the men released. |