Deal to win freedom for five Britons kidnapped in Baghdad

KIDNAPPERS holding five Britons in Iraq claim they have agreed to trade one hostage for 10 detained militants, it was reported today.

The agreement was said to be the first step in a deal to free all five men, a spokesman for the Shia-aligned Leagues of the Righteous said.

The group claims it has reached an agreement with Britain and the US to free the Britons gradually in return for Sadrist militants.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We've seen similar reports. This is a sensitive case. We are not going to comment on alleged remarks by people claiming to be hostage-takers.

"We continue to do everything we can to try and secure the safe release of the hostages and remain extremely concerned for their safety. We call on those holding the hostages to release them immediately and unconditionally."

The deal adds weight to suspicions that the hostages are being used as pawns in a power struggle between Shia militant interests across Iraq, Lebanon and Iran, The Guardian reports today.

The Britons were seized by about 40 gunmen wearing police uniforms in Baghdad on 29 May, 2007.

Iraqi officials blamed the Mahdi Army, the militia controlled by radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

It was thought to be retaliation for the killing by British forces of the militia's commander in Basra a week earlier.

But Al-Sadr's followers have denied responsibility and suspicion has since fallen on splinter groups which the US believes are controlled by Iran.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed this week it had received a video of one of the hostages, describing the tape as a "significant development".

The video apparently shows one of those held, Peter Moore, saying they are being treated well and urging the British government to secure their release. Mr Moore is thought to have worked for BearingPoint, an American management consultancy.

The other four hostages were working as security guards for Canadian firm GardaWorld.