Briton, two Americans kidnapped as Iraq hostage crisis escalates
Two Americans and a Briton were kidnapped from their smart Baghdad home, as the two main powers behind last year’s invasion became the latest victims of a five-month-old hostage crisis. The new abductions came against the backdrop of fresh UN criticism of the US-led intervention, with Secretary General Kofi Annan for the first time describing the invasion as “illegal”. Interior ministry spokesman Colonel Adnan Abdul Rahman said the three hostages worked for a Gulf-based private equipment firm. Armed men drove up in a minibus shortly after 6:00 am (0200 GMT) and burst into the trio’s home in the upmarket Mansur neighbourhood of the capital. Full Story