New Delhi: One of the three Indian hostages in Iraq today (July 22, 2004) said they were being held captives as their abductors thought that they were helping Americans.

Television channels showed a new tape in which Tilak Raj is heard as saying that they were forcibly sent to Iraq.

"We are three Indians, three Kenyans and an Egyptian," he said adding that "we are being given food and water and we are sitting comfortably."

"Hamare ko pakad ke rakha hai ki hum America ka saath de rahen hain. Hamari gaadiyan bhi chheen lee hain (we have been held hostages because they think we are helping Americans. They have seized our vehicles also)," he said.

All the seven are truck drivers held in Iraq by a group calling itself 'Black Flags'.