Abductors threaten to kill one hostage on Friday

A group holding seven truck drivers, three of them Indians, hostage in Iraq have said they will kill one of them on Friday if their demands were not met.

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In a videotape message on Thursday, a masked man was shown holding a rifle to the head of an Indian hostage.

The abductors have not said which hostage they would kill at 7pm (Iraqi time) on Friday.

According to a statement received by a new agency from Islamic Secret Army the group has threatened to behead the Indian hostages unless the Kuwaiti transport company which hired them quits Iraq.

"We will slit the throat of one of the (Indian) hostages tomorrow at 7:00 pm (8.30 p.m. IST) if our demands are not met," it said.

The group accused the Indian government of losing its "credibility" and "deviating from (Mahatma) Gandhi's path of peace", branding the hostages "fighters supporting the infidel occupation".