DUBAI, April 26: An Iraqi group threatened to kill its three Italian hostages unless protests are held in five days in Italy against Rome's policies in Iraq, Al Arabiya television said on Monday, airing footage of the trio.

A statement received by the Dubai-based satellite channel from a group calling itself the "Green Brigade", said it would free the three remaining hostages if "the Italian people organise demonstrations to protest against their government's policy in Iraq."

The group gave the Italian public "five days to organise these protests, otherwise the hostages will be killed." The statement also said the men had been kidnapped because they were "spying in Iraq".

"The three hostages seem in a healthy, stable state," said Al-Arabiya, which showed the typed statement on the screen as parts of it were read out. Only a brief clip was aired of the three Italians as they sat eating, and occasionally talking and glancing up at the camera.

The insurgents holding the hostages have already made good on a promise to start killing them since kidnapping four Italian security guards on April 12. One hostage, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was executed two days later, and the others were threatened with death if Italy failed to withdraw its troops from Iraq. -AFP