Kidnappers silent on fate of Christian hostages in Iraq

Kidnappers holding four Westerners made no contact with Iraqi authorities today, the day which they had set as a deadline to kill the humanitarian activists unless US and Iraqi authorities release all prisoners they hold in Iraq, the interior ministry said.

The ministry had received no information about the four Christian activists by late morning, a spokesman said. He asked that his name not be used due to the sensitivity of the situation.