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| Sadr aide denies Britons kidnap | Sadr aide denies Britons kidnap |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A top aide of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr has said the Mehdi Army was not involved in the kidnapping of five Britons in Baghdad on Tuesday. | A top aide of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr has said the Mehdi Army was not involved in the kidnapping of five Britons in Baghdad on Tuesday. |
| Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari had said he believed the Shia militia group were behind the abductions. | Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari had said he believed the Shia militia group were behind the abductions. |
| But Sheikh Abdel al-Sattar al-Bahadli told the BBC the Sadrist movement and the Mehdi Army were innocent and wanted to peacefully build a new Iraq. | But Sheikh Abdel al-Sattar al-Bahadli told the BBC the Sadrist movement and the Mehdi Army were innocent and wanted to peacefully build a new Iraq. |
| The five men were seized at the finance ministry in the Sadr City suburb. | The five men were seized at the finance ministry in the Sadr City suburb. |
| Mr al-Sattar al-Bahadli told the BBC Arabic Service that clear and direct instructions from Moqtada Sadr stated "we want to build a new Iraq" through dialogue, the language of peace and by accepting other opinions. | Mr al-Sattar al-Bahadli told the BBC Arabic Service that clear and direct instructions from Moqtada Sadr stated "we want to build a new Iraq" through dialogue, the language of peace and by accepting other opinions. |
| Distressing time | Distressing time |
| Earlier, US and Iraqi troops carried out raids and sealed off parts of the city, close to where the kidnapping took place. | Earlier, US and Iraqi troops carried out raids and sealed off parts of the city, close to where the kidnapping took place. |
| The US military said a number of militants had been arrested during the raids but would not confirm any link with the missing Britons. | The US military said a number of militants had been arrested during the raids but would not confirm any link with the missing Britons. |
| BBC correspondent Jim Muir said the raids in a Shia area were the "clearest physical indication so far" that suspicions were falling on the Shia militia. | BBC correspondent Jim Muir said the raids in a Shia area were the "clearest physical indication so far" that suspicions were falling on the Shia militia. |
| Others too pointed to Shia militia being behind the abductions. | Others too pointed to Shia militia being behind the abductions. |
| The worrying thing is this is obviously not a case for ransom demand Canon Andrew White class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3604393.stm">Who are the Mehdi Army? class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6705249.stm">Images from the searches | |
| The Anglican vicar of Baghdad, Canon Andrew White, said the kidnapping could be linked to the recent killing of a radical Shia cleric by UK troops. | The Anglican vicar of Baghdad, Canon Andrew White, said the kidnapping could be linked to the recent killing of a radical Shia cleric by UK troops. |
| Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the UK government was working closely with Iraqi authorities and doing all it could to secure the men's release. | Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the UK government was working closely with Iraqi authorities and doing all it could to secure the men's release. |
| She said their families were being offered support at this "distressing time". | She said their families were being offered support at this "distressing time". |
| The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - were taken from the finance ministry building in Palestine Street in Baghdad. | The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - were taken from the finance ministry building in Palestine Street in Baghdad. |
| The kidnappers in police uniforms walked past ministry guards and staged the capture without firing a shot, senior Iraqi officials said. | The kidnappers in police uniforms walked past ministry guards and staged the capture without firing a shot, senior Iraqi officials said. |
| A police source told the BBC that dozens of police vehicles were used in the operation. | A police source told the BBC that dozens of police vehicles were used in the operation. |
| Mr Zebari said the kidnappings represented a "very serious challenge... to the government itself". | Mr Zebari said the kidnappings represented a "very serious challenge... to the government itself". |
| The kidnappers probably had connections with local police in the area, he told the BBC's Today programme. | The kidnappers probably had connections with local police in the area, he told the BBC's Today programme. |
| 'Hired guns' in Iraq Profile: Canon Andrew White | 'Hired guns' in Iraq Profile: Canon Andrew White |
| "The number of people who were involved in the operation, to seal all the buildings, to set roadblocks, to get into the building with such confidence, [they] must have some connection." | "The number of people who were involved in the operation, to seal all the buildings, to set roadblocks, to get into the building with such confidence, [they] must have some connection." |
| Canon Andrew White said there was "very likely a connection" between the kidnappings and the death of Abu Qadir, also known as Wissam Waili, a leader of the Mehdi Army militia, who was killed in Basra on 25 May. | Canon Andrew White said there was "very likely a connection" between the kidnappings and the death of Abu Qadir, also known as Wissam Waili, a leader of the Mehdi Army militia, who was killed in Basra on 25 May. |
| He said: "The worrying thing is this is obviously not a case for ransom demand; economic hostage-taking is fairly easy to deal with." | He said: "The worrying thing is this is obviously not a case for ransom demand; economic hostage-taking is fairly easy to deal with." |
| UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking during a trip to Libya, said: "We will do everything we possibly can to help." | UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking during a trip to Libya, said: "We will do everything we possibly can to help." |
| British embassy officials in Iraq are following up the case and the Iraqi government has set up a special operations room. | British embassy officials in Iraq are following up the case and the Iraqi government has set up a special operations room. |
| Cobra, the UK government's emergency committee, is expected to meet for the second time later on Wednesday. | Cobra, the UK government's emergency committee, is expected to meet for the second time later on Wednesday. |
| 'Heavily infiltrated' | 'Heavily infiltrated' |
| The four kidnapped security guards were working for Canadian-owned security firm GardaWorld. | The four kidnapped security guards were working for Canadian-owned security firm GardaWorld. |
| The company is one of the biggest suppliers of private security in Iraq, and is mainly staffed by Britons. | The company is one of the biggest suppliers of private security in Iraq, and is mainly staffed by Britons. |
| Private contractors are known to be unpopular with Iraqis. | Private contractors are known to be unpopular with Iraqis. |
| Anas Al-Tikriti, an Iraq expert involved in the negotiations to secure the release of Briton Norman Kember, said mercenaries, private contractors and private firms were considered to be in Iraq "filling their boots". | Anas Al-Tikriti, an Iraq expert involved in the negotiations to secure the release of Briton Norman Kember, said mercenaries, private contractors and private firms were considered to be in Iraq "filling their boots". |
| Iraqi police are heavily infiltrated by militias | Iraqi police are heavily infiltrated by militias |
| "As much as the Iraqis despise and loathe the occupiers, they loathe and despise those mercenaries a hundred times more," he said. | "As much as the Iraqis despise and loathe the occupiers, they loathe and despise those mercenaries a hundred times more," he said. |
| The kidnapped computer expert was working for BearingPoint, a US management consultancy which has worked on development projects in Iraq since 2003. | The kidnapped computer expert was working for BearingPoint, a US management consultancy which has worked on development projects in Iraq since 2003. |
| This is thought to be the first time Westerners have been abducted from a government facility. | This is thought to be the first time Westerners have been abducted from a government facility. |
| BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the Iraqi government now had a few questions to answer after such an "incredibly brazen raid" in broad daylight. | BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the Iraqi government now had a few questions to answer after such an "incredibly brazen raid" in broad daylight. |
| He said there were suspicions of low or middle-level connivance in the police, known to be heavily infiltrated by Shia militias. | He said there were suspicions of low or middle-level connivance in the police, known to be heavily infiltrated by Shia militias. |
| A team of experienced police hostage negotiators had already been assembled, and extra staff had been flown to the British Embassy in Baghdad, he added. | A team of experienced police hostage negotiators had already been assembled, and extra staff had been flown to the British Embassy in Baghdad, he added. |
| About 200 foreigners of many different nationalities have been kidnapped in Iraq over the past four years, though the number has fallen dramatically since a few years ago. | About 200 foreigners of many different nationalities have been kidnapped in Iraq over the past four years, though the number has fallen dramatically since a few years ago. |
Do have experience of working in security in Iraq, or other dangerous countries? Send us your stories. | Do have experience of working in security in Iraq, or other dangerous countries? Send us your stories. |