New Delhi/Islamabad: India today (July 22, 2004) stepped up efforts to secure the safe release of its three nationals held hostage in Iraq along with four others as a video showed the captives making desperate pleas for their lives.

One of the Indians with stubble on his face, who identified himself as Tilak Raj, said, "We are being held here against our will because they feel we are supporting America. They have also taken away our vehicles. We are three Indians, three Kenyans and one Egyptian."

"We are being given food and water," said the man with a greying hair, who was wearing a light brown shirt.

Besides Tilak Raj, the other Indians held hostage are Antaryami and Sukhdev Singh. While Tilak Raj and Antaryami hail from Una in Himachal Pradesh, Sukhdev Singh is from Ropar in Punjab.

All the seven hostages were truck drivers working for a Kuwaiti firm, KGL Transport Company. They were held captive yesterday by a group calling itself 'Black Flags', which has threatened to execute one hostage every 72 hours if their Kuwaiti employer does not leave the country.

The Indian Government was in touch with authorities in Iraq and Kuwait besides the embassies of the US and Kuwait in Delhi to end the hostage crisis.

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, who is in Islamabad, said the Government was making all efforts to ensure their release and safe return.

"We have all been shocked and distressed at the kidnapping. This is a serious development," he said while appealing to "all those who have influence to assist in ensuring their safe return."