New video shows German hostages: Media

Berlin, Apr 10: Two German hostages held in Iraq since the end of January have appeared in a video pleading for help, German media reported today.

The two men appearing in the video were identified by German broadcasters as Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke.

The German government stopped short of identifying them, but confirmed it had received a video showing the hostages.

''I can assure you that we will do everything possible within our power to save the life of the hostages and to get the hostages back and free to Germany,'' Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a news conference, adding the video was being examined.

The two engineers from Leipzig are the only known German hostages in Iraq.

Looking distraught and exhausted, Braeunlich and Nitzschke were shown in front of a black banner with white Arabic writing on it.

One of the men, thought to be Nitzschke, could be heard saying in German: ''We have been here for more than 60 days. We are at the end of our nerves. Please help us. We cannot bear this any longer. Please help us.'' The video has a March 28 date stamp on it and is believed to be the fourth video message showing the Germans.

Al Jazeera television also aired a brief portion of the tape, showing the two bearded men standing in front of a black banner bearing the name of the Ansar al-Tawhid Wa-Sunna group.

According to Spiegel magazine, the video also showed a sign in Arabic reading ''This is the last ultimatum for the two German agents.'' Public broadcaster ZDF added the kidnappers had demanded on a written banner the release of all prisoners held by the US military in Iraq.

Braeunlich and Nitzschke were abducted on January 24 outside their workplace in the industrial town of Baiji, 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad.

In February, the militant group holding them, Ansar al-Tawhid Wa-Sunna, issued what it called a final ultimatum before killing the captives unless Berlin met its demands that Germany end cooperation with Baghdad, close its embassy and force all German firms to leave the country.

The German government said an emergency task force would meet early tomorrow to discuss the results of the video analysis.

REUTERS