Foreign civilian contractor kidnapped in Iraq

BASRA, Iraq, Jan 5 (Reuters) A foreign civilian contractor has been taken hostage near the southern Iraqi city of Basra, a British military spokesman said today, and an Iraqi security source said the man taken was a US citizen.

Captain Ollie Pile said he could give no further details of the incident and he could not confirm a report by the security source in Basra that two translators were also seized.

US embassy officials in Baghdad had no immediate comment on the report.

REUTERS AKJ BD1732