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Four Egyptians working for a mobile phone company were kidnapped by gunmen in Baghdad.
Islamic militants have also threatened to kill a kidnapped Italian journalist by Monday unless Italy agrees to withdraw troops.
The four Egyptians were seized near the Mansour district of western Baghdad, officials of the Interior Ministry and the Egyptian Embassy said.
They were working for Iraqna, a subsidiary of the Egyptian firm Orascom Telecommunications, which operates a mobile network in central Iraq.
They have been identified as Mohammed al-Saadi, Hussein Ashour, Waleed Ismail and Sayed Shaaban.
The Italian journalist was kidnapped by gunmen who blocked her car outside Baghdad University.
She is Giuliana Sgrena,56, a veteran reporter for the left-wing daily II Manifesto.
A statement on an internet bulletin board used by extremists said she would be subject to the "rule of God" a phrase that usually means punishment by death.
The new web message was signed by the Jihad Organisation |