Marine Wassef Hassoun, who has turned up safe after an apparent kidnapping in Iraq, is a US soldier with a deep affection for his native land Lebanon.

A militant Iraqi group denied it had killed US Marine hostage Wassef Hassoun, contradicting earlier reports that he had been beheaded.

The family of a US marine taken hostage in Iraq and threatened with beheading has asked people around the world to pray for his safe return.