WASHINGTON, March 31: A US citizen was abducted earlier this week in Iraq along with three Romanian journalists, the US State Department said on Wednesday. “There was one American with the three Romanians,” Steven Pike, a State Department spokesman, said. “They were taken at the same time,” on Monday, Mr Pike said. He added that further details would not be released immediately, including the question of whether the US citizen was alive. “We assume that they are,” he said.

“We call for the immediate and safe release of all hostages in Iraq, including the American citizen and the three Romanian journalists who were taken on Monday,” Mr Pike said.

According to Romanian media, the missing American is an Iraqi-American businessman, Mohammed Munaf, who financed the travel of the Romanians and acted as their guide in Baghdad.

Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera showed the three Romanian journalists in the company of another individual taken hostage by an unidentified group in Iraq.

Two hooded men were seen pointing their weapons at the four visibly frightened hostages, who were seated on the ground against the backdrop of a floral carpet.—AFP