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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Iraq 'hostage Briton' video aired | Iraq 'hostage Briton' video aired |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| An Arabic TV channel has aired a video claiming to show one of five Britons captured in Iraq eight months ago. | An Arabic TV channel has aired a video claiming to show one of five Britons captured in Iraq eight months ago. |
| The footage showed a man making an appeal to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help secure the hostages' freedom. | The footage showed a man making an appeal to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help secure the hostages' freedom. |
| "My name is Peter Moore, I have been held here for nearly eight months now," the man said in English. | "My name is Peter Moore, I have been held here for nearly eight months now," the man said in English. |
| He asks Mr Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the release of the Britons seized in May 2007. The Foreign Office has condemned the release of the video. | He asks Mr Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the release of the Britons seized in May 2007. The Foreign Office has condemned the release of the video. |
| The video shows the man speaking in English with an Arabic translation played over the top. | The video shows the man speaking in English with an Arabic translation played over the top. |
| 'Simple exchange' | 'Simple exchange' |
| The man appealed for the freedom of the Iraqis prisoners - being held by the coalition authorities. | The man appealed for the freedom of the Iraqis prisoners - being held by the coalition authorities. |
| We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved FCO statement | We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved FCO statement |
| "All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: release their prisoners so we can go," he said. | "All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: release their prisoners so we can go," he said. |
| The man, who is wearing a black and white tracksuit, says on the tape that he is from Lincoln and appeals to the British government to help secure the group's freedom. | The man, who is wearing a black and white tracksuit, says on the tape that he is from Lincoln and appeals to the British government to help secure the group's freedom. |
| "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," the man said. | "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," the man said. |
| The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) criticised the footage and said: "We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. | The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) criticised the footage and said: "We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. |
| "We urge those holding the group to release them immediately. We are in close contact with the Iraqi authorities and doing everything we can to try and secure a swift release." | "We urge those holding the group to release them immediately. We are in close contact with the Iraqi authorities and doing everything we can to try and secure a swift release." |
| The FCO said it wanted anyone who could influence the situation to do what they could to ensure the "safety and release of the hostages". | The FCO said it wanted anyone who could influence the situation to do what they could to ensure the "safety and release of the hostages". |
| "We again call directly on those holding these men to release them," it said. | "We again call directly on those holding these men to release them," it said. |
| 'Shrunken' demands | 'Shrunken' demands |
| The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - were seized from Baghdad's Finance Ministry by gunmen wearing police uniforms on 29 May 2007 without a shot being fired. | The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - 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 and 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 and they had not been heard of before. |
| 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 our correspondent said there was "little to doubt the veracity of it". | |
| This is the second video to have been released since the men were captured. | This is the second video to have been released since the men were captured. |
| The first tape, in December 2007, showed a different hostage who was flanked by gunmen. | The first tape, in December 2007, showed a different hostage who was flanked by gunmen. |
| Our correspondent said this latest video seemed to show that the demands of their captors had "shrunk". | Our correspondent said this latest video seemed to show that the demands of their captors had "shrunk". |