New Video Shows Peace Activists Held Hostage in Iraq, One Missing

Three of four Christian peace activists held hostage in Iraq were shown on Al Jazeera television Tuesday. The men had called on Gulf Arab leaders and their own governments to help free them.

|TOP|The video, which had a February 28 date stamp, showed the three men sitting in a room appearing in good health, although their voices could not be heard when speaking to the camera.

A body calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade claimed to be holding the men, who were abducted in Baghdad on November 26 last year.

Among the four hostages, Briton Norman Kember, 74, American Tom Fox, 54, and Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, the missing man in the video appeared to be Tom Fox, according to Maxine Nash, a member of the CPT in Baghdad.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are concerned that only three of the four hostages are shown and will seek reassurance from the hostage-takers that all four are well."

|AD|She added: "To release a video of this kind is obviously extremely distressing for the relatives and our thoughts are with them as well as with the victims who have now been held for more than 100 days.

"They are peace campaigners dedicated to helping other people and should be freed immediately."

The last video of the hostages was released January 28, where the presenter said the hostage-takers issued a statement saying it was the "last chance" for US and Iraqi authorities to "release all Iraqi prisoners in return of freeing the hostages otherwise their fate will be death". No deadline was set.

Last weekend, around 100 people gathered in Trafalgar Square in London to hold a silent vigil marking 100 days since Briton Norman Kember was taken hostage in Iraq.

During the hour-long vigil, prayers were said for the safe release of the Kember and his fellow captives who were kidnapped during a mission in Baghdad.