Al-Qaida capture claims denied

TWO US marines taking part in an offensive in western Iraq are reported to have been captured by al-Qaida.

In a web statement, the group threatened to kill the marines “within 24 hours” but a US military spokesman said he believed the claim was false.

A spokesman for US forces in Iraq, Lt Col Steve Boylan, said in a statement: “I have not heard anything about any of our folks being taken. I would suspect that these are unfounded rumours, as that is what has happened in the past.”