Engineer kidnapped in Baghdad 'was warned of risks'

Unidentified gunmen abducted a French engineer from outside his home as he was on his way to work today in Baghdad, police and the French foreign ministry said.

A photo identification card found at the scene was for Bernard Planche, the head of mission for AACCESS NGO, a group that works on US-funded water projects.

There was also a small amount of blood next to one vehicle.

In Paris, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei confirmed Planche was the victim and that he worked for a non-governmental organisation called AACCESS.

Mattei said the French Embassy in Baghdad had previously warned Planche of the dangers he ran “by not taking the measures essential to his security”.

“He had been advised to leave the country or, failing that, to stay in touch with the embassy,” Mattei said.

The embassy was in close contact with Iraqi authorities to secure his release, he added.