Family of Australian hostage appeal for his release

The family of an Australian held hostage in Iraq has appealed for his release, saying the captors’ demand that his country begin withdrawing troops from the country would not change the government’s policy.

Militants holding 63-year-old Douglas Wood, an Australian who lives in California, have issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Australia to start pulling troops out of Iraq, Arab television station al-Jazeera reported.