Kidnapped Turk and Egyptian threatened with execution

The Egyptian was quoted as saying that he was transporting goods for the US army. He held what appeared to be his identity papers.

Al-Jazeera’s announcer said that the kidnappers demanded the Egyptian and Turkish governments condemn actions, such as working for the American army, in order to secure their release.

The masked men were armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

The gunmen said the drivers were delivering supplies from Kuwait to Iraq and were seized because they were working for US occupation forces.

The two purported hostages were seated on the floor holding their passports in front of five masked gunmen. The foreigners identified themselves as Bulent Yanik, a Turk born in 1969, and Victor Tawfiq Jerges, an Egyptian born in 1959. They spoke in Turkish and Arabic.

One of the gunmen read a statement saying "our Jihad brothers" had captured the two drivers "while they were providing the American army with supplies and goods."

He did not say where or when they were seized.

"We are going to treat them in accordance with Islamic law, and we warn everyone who is assisting the Americans that they will meet the same fate," the gunman added. "Also, we hold their governments responsible for their actions."

Both the Turkish and the Egyptian man appeared unharmed and were eating food from plates on a carpet on the floor.

Two Polish contractors and five Kurdish employees were yesterday abducted near an American compound close to Baghdad.

However, one of the Poles managed to escape, a spokesman for their company said. They were taken from their office around noon by people who drove up in vehicles, a spokesman for their Jedynka construction company told Polish television.

The wave of kidnappings of foreigners was sparked by the intense violence that began in April. Up to 40 people from several nations have been abducted, though most were later freed.