Iraqi militant group says took Turkish hostage-Web

DUBAI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - A little known Iraqi Islamist militant group said it had kidnapped a Turkish man working for a Turkish firm and posted footage of what appeared to be a plea by the hostage.

The man spoke in Turkish in the footage posted on a Web site often used by militants. He appeared with his hands shackled in front of a black banner carrying the name of the group, the Brigades of the Lions of Righteousness and the phrase: ''God is Great, there is no god but Allah.'' The Arabic-language statement identified the man as Yelderm Tik and said he was seized on July 27. It said the tape carried ''confessions'' of the hostage.

''We demand that the Turkish government closes this company and severs all forms of dealings with the traitorous Iraqi government which is allied with the occupation,'' said the group, adding the Turkish company was working with US forces in Iraq.

The authenticity of the statement could not be verified.

It did not give the name of the company but said it was based in the city of Samawa in southern Iraq.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since the US-led invasion in 2003. About 60 hostages have been reported killed by their captors.

REUTERS PDM RAI2027