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Iraq group says it killed Japanese hostage
Islamic militant group Army of Ansar al-Sunna said it has killed a Japanese hostage and posted footage allegedly showing his bloodied body, according to an Internet video. The video showed identification papers and a passport bearing the name of Akihiko Saito, 44, a former paratrooper and veteran of the French Foreign Legion, who had been missing in Iraq since May 8. The footage, which was not dated but was seen by Reuters on Saturday, showed the body of a dead man lying on his back with blood covering his face. He appeared to resemble Saito's pictures.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said it was trying to confirm if the body was Saito's, a ministry spokesman said. "We have not confirmed that," said Akira Chiba, assistant press secretary for the foreign ministry, adding that confirmation was difficult from simply watching the footage.
A statement accompanying the video said the group shot and killed Saito. ID papers said Saito worked as a security manager. The name Hart GMSSCO was written on the same document. Army of Ansar al-Sunna, one of the main Sunni Muslim insurgent groups, has claimed responsibility for attacks against U.S. forces and the Iraqi government and killed several hostages. |
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