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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Search continues for Iraq Britons | Search continues for Iraq Britons |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Efforts are continuing to find the five Britons snatched by armed men in Baghdad on Tuesday. | Efforts are continuing to find the five Britons snatched by armed men in Baghdad on Tuesday. |
| Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the situation remained "quite unclear", but insisted everything possible was being done to secure their release. | Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the situation remained "quite unclear", but insisted everything possible was being done to secure their release. |
| It is not yet known who carried out the kidnap, but a senior aide of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr said his group - the Mehdi Army - was not involved. | It is not yet known who carried out the kidnap, but a senior aide of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr said his group - the Mehdi Army - was not involved. |
| The five were seized at the finance ministry in the Sadr City suburb. | The five were seized at the finance ministry in the Sadr City suburb. |
| On Wednesday, US and Iraqi troops carried out raids and sealed off parts of the city close to where the kidnapping took place. | On Wednesday, 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 but would not confirm whether the raids were linked to the missing Britons. | The US military said a number of militants had been arrested but would not confirm whether the raids were linked to the missing Britons. |
| There has been speculation that the group were abducted in retaliation for the killing of a Mehdi Army militia leader. The Foreign Office has said there is no firm indication as to who was responsible. | |
| 'Terrorists' claim | 'Terrorists' claim |
| Speaking at the G8 summit in Berlin, Mrs Beckett said families of the missing were being kept informed of any progress. | Speaking at the G8 summit in Berlin, Mrs Beckett said families of the missing were being kept informed of any progress. |
| 'Hired guns' in Iraq 'I worked in northern Iraq' class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/3604393.stm">Who are Mehdi Army? | |
| And she said everything possible was being done "to find out where they may be and why they're being held". | And she said everything possible was being done "to find out where they may be and why they're being held". |
| Meanwhile, Iraq's national security adviser Muwaffak al-Rubaie pledged to bring the kidnappers to justice. | Meanwhile, Iraq's national security adviser Muwaffak al-Rubaie pledged to bring the kidnappers to justice. |
| "This group of kidnappers, they are terrorists, whether they are Shia extremists or Sunni extremists," he said. | "This group of kidnappers, they are terrorists, whether they are Shia extremists or Sunni extremists," he said. |
| The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - were taken from the finance ministry building in Palestine Street. | The five men - a computer expert and four bodyguards - were taken from the finance ministry building in Palestine Street. |
| The kidnappers, dressed in police uniforms, walked past ministry guards and staged the capture without firing a shot, senior Iraqi officials said. | The kidnappers, dressed 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 dozens of police vehicles were used in the operation. | A police source told the BBC dozens of police vehicles were used in the operation. |
| 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. |
| Unpopular role | Unpopular role |
| 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. |
| The kidnapped computer expert was employed by Bearingpoint, a US management consultancy which has worked on development projects in Iraq since 2003. | The kidnapped computer expert was employed by Bearingpoint, a US management consultancy which has worked on development projects in Iraq since 2003. |
| Private contractors are known to be unpopular with Iraqis. | Private contractors are known to be unpopular with Iraqis. |
| 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. |
| 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. |