Britain issues new appeal for Iraq hostages

The British government today issued a new appeal for information about five Britons who were taken hostage in Iraq nearly two months ago.

The captives - four security guards and a consultant - were abducted from the Iraqi Finance Ministry by around 40 heavily armed men who took them in the direction of Baghdad's sprawling Shiite district of Sadr City.

"It's now 55 days since the five British men were taken. We and their families are increasingly concerned for their welfare," Matthew Lodge, the British charge d'affaires in Baghdad told reporters at the embassy building.

"We have no evidence about their condition and we would like to know they are alive and well," Mr Lodge added. "We remain willing to listen and talk to those who may have any information about our people."

On June 7, the British ambassador to Iraq Dominic Asquith appealed for the release of the five and indicated that the government was prepared to talk to the kidnappers about the terms of their release.

Two weeks later, Gen. David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, said the five were being held by a secret cell of the Mahdi Army militia that was armed, trained and funded by Iran.

Also, Iraqi officials have said they believe the Britons were taken hostage by the Mahdi Army militia, which is largely loyal to the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, in retaliation for the killing by British forces of the militia's commander in the southern city of Basra.