THE kidnappers of five British hostages seized in Baghdad last May have said they could be held for years if demands for the release of an Iranian-backed militia leader are not met.

The warning came as the first detailed information emerged about the plight of the hostages, who enter their 174th day in captivity today.

The men, an IT consultant and four bodyguards who were kidnapped from the finance ministry, have recorded messages for their families in a video passed to officials in Iraq. They also appealed to the British government to help to free them.

The video is understood to show the hostages in good health, although drained by their ordeal. They are said to be eating well and have access to satellite television.

Senior Iraqi government sources say their captors have promised they will not be harmed but any rescue attempt would endanger them. They claimed the hostages will remain prisoners “for as long as it takes” to secure the release of Qais al-Khazaali, a former chief spokesman for the Shi’ite Mahdi Army.

Khazaali, who led a Mahdi faction trained in Iran, was detained by American forces after masterminding a raid inside a base in which five US soldiers were killed.

Talks aimed at freeing the hostages are believed to have reached deadlock this month after British negotiators said they had no power to free Khazaali.

The disclosures about the hostages’ condition, the captors’ warnings and the negotiations in Baghdad are the first of their kind since the men were taken.

The Foreign Office has imposed a virtual news black-out in contrast to the publicity given to Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist who was held for four months in Gaza.

Johnston’s uncle, Alastair Hetherington, said yesterday it had been a “big comfort” to his nephew to hear radio bulletins with news of efforts to win his release.

The families of the Iraq hostages have been advised not to give interviews and an anonymous statement in September calling for the release of the captives attracted little attention.

Iraqi government sources said last week that photographs of the hostages were provided some time ago to prove they were alive.

After Gordon Brown asked Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, for help last month, a CD containing footage of the hostages was passed to officials. It carried messages to their families, an Iraqi government source said. The hostages told their wives or girlfriends that they loved and missed them.

The Iraqi source said they spoke of being “psychologically and emotionally tired”, adding: “They are being fed three good meals a day. They are being well treated. They have continuous access to satellite television.”

Senior Baghdad government sources said at least three negotiating sessions had taken place in the past few weeks between the kidnappers’ intermediaries and British, US and Iraqi officials.

The demand for Khazaali’s release is believed to have been high on the agenda, but the talks reached an impasse. “The kidnappers apparently came to the conclusion that the British position was weak and that they [the British] were unable to resolve this alone - that everything they sought was tied to the USA.”

The Americans refused to free Khazaali, the sources added.

Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, said it was difficult to justify the curbs on media coverage: “If you are a hostage, publicity is a lifeline.”

The Foreign Office said: “Although there is much going on behind the scenes, it is extremely sensitive and we can’t go into detail about it.”

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