Iraq hostage crisis deepens as Saudis offer Muslim troops

IRAQ'S hostage crisis deepened as US and Iraqi officials considered a Saudi proposal to dispatch Arab or Muslim troops to Iraq.

An Arab League "troika" of foreign ministers are also considering an appeal by Baghdad for Arab troops to protect a new UN mission.

Pakistan condemned the beheading of two of its nationals by militants, with President Pervez Musharraf describing the act as a crime against humanity that had damaged Islam, while a Somali truck driver was reported captured by alleged al-Qaida followers in Iraq.

Faced with a continuing cycle of violence, US Secretary of State Colin Powell welcomed the idea of dispatching Arab or Muslim troops to Iraq, in addition to the thousands of foreign troops already there.

Mr Powell said the troops would be sent "either as part of the coalition or as a separate organisation that would be within the framework of the coalition effort, but would be there perhaps to provide security facilities or provide protection to the United Nations."

A day after more than 120 people died in a massive suicide bombing in Baquba Iraq's national conference, a vast experiment in democracy due to start today, was delayed by two weeks.

In the latest in a series of sinister videos, Al-Jazeera television broadcast footage of a Somali reportedly held by Zarqawi's Tawhid wa al-Jihad (Unity and Holy War) group and threatened with beheading unless his Kuwaiti employers quit the country in 48 hours.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said New Delhi was making "all efforts" to secure the release of three Indian truck drivers abducted a week ago, who are among at least 19 foreigners known to be hostage or missing in the country.

In Tunis, three Arab League foreign ministers began consultations with their Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari over anappeal made by Baghdad last week for Arab troops to protect UN operations in Iraq.

The foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain and Tunisia as well as the Arab League secretary general AmrMussa were attending the talks.

In Brussels, NATO diplomats continued intensive negotiations to resolve differences over a pledge to train Iraqi security forces, hoping to overcome resistance, notably from France, diplomats said.