Claim to behead US hostage just a toy story

A WEBSITE has posted a photograph of what it claimed was a US soldier kidnapped in Iraq, but doubts were quickly raised about its authenticity as the US military said no soldiers were missing.

A US toy manufacturer said the figure in the photo resembled one of its military action figures, originally produced for sale at US bases in Kuwait.

The statement appeared on a website where militants’ statements are often posted and was in the name of a group that has claimed previous kidnappings, the Mujahedeen Brigades.