Tuesday, May 10 2005 08:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: An al-Qaeda-linked militant group said it had seized a Japanese hostage during a "fierce battle" in western Iraq, in a statement posted on an Islamist website yesterday (May 9, 2005).

Identity card photographs accompanying the statement from the Army of Ansar al-Sunna gave the hostage's name as Akihiko Saito, 34.

It also showed two pages from Saito's passport and a document from Basra (southern Iraq) Air Station saying he was "authorised to escort, authorised to carry weapons" until April 14, 2006.

The statement said that Saito was captured during an ambush of a convoy leaving a US base during which several other foreigners were killed and Saito seriously wounded.

"Your mujahedeen brothers obtained information saying cars had left the American military base of Al-Assad, carrying contractors and Western intelligence (agents), supported by the forces of apostasy (Iraqi security forces), disguised as civilians.

"The mujahedeen set up an ambush when they arrived near Hit (in the Euphrates Valley 175 kilometres or 110 miles west of Baghdad). There were 12 apostates and five foreigners carrying the most sophisticated weapons.

"A fierce battle erupted in this area. The apostates and foreigners called for American reinforcements."

"The mujahedeen launched a ferocious attack, which ended with several severely wounded among the apostates and foreigners who surrendered."