An Islamist group has seized 12 Nepali workers because of their cooperation with U.S. forces in Iraq, a statement issued on the Internet said on Friday. “On Aug. 19-20 we were able to take 12 people from a Nepali company prisoners — infidels who had contracted with the crusading U.S. forces to help their war against Islam,” a statement purportedly from the Army of the Ansar al-Sunna group said. It listed the names of the 12 men. The authenticity of the statement could not be verified. “We shall show their pictures soon so that they will be a lesson to others,” said the statement, posted on Friday on a Web site often used in recent months by groups fighting U.S.-led forces in Iraq. It said the Nepalese firm was operating in Iraq through a Jordanian company, but gave no further details. About OODA Analyst