Italian hostage reportedly killed in Iraq

Arabic television Al Jazeera late yesterday said Iraqi kidnappers had killed an Italian hostage and were threatening to kill three others because of Italy's refusal to withdraw its troops from Iraq.

An Al Jazeera official told Reuters the channel received footage of the killing but would not broadcast it because "it is too bloody".

"They slaughtered the hostage because of (Italian Prime Minister Silvio) Berlusconi's last remarks refusing to withdraw troops from Iraq," the official told Reuters.

The television, which received a statement from the kidnappers, said: "The group threatened to kill the three other hostages, one after the other if their demands were not met."

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, speaking on state television, said he was unable to confirm the report but hoped it was false.

Mr Frattini said earlier yesterday the country would not give in to "blackmail" to save the hostages held by an Islamist group but was working with Iran and others for their release.

Al Jazeera television aired a tape on Tuesday of the four Italian security guards snatched by a hitherto unheard-of Iraqi group which demanded Italy withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Italy has said Italians working for a US private security firm had gone missing.

The kidnappings have added to pressure from some of Italy's opposition groups for the immediate withdrawal of Italy's almost 3,000 troops, but Mr Berlusconi and his government have refused to back down.