The kidnappers of five British hostages abducted in Baghdad have reiterated that they will keep them for “as long as it takes” to satisfy their demand for the release of a Shi’ite militia leader and 11 of his associates.

“The hostages will not return to British territory until the prisoners we are seeking are released by coalition forces,” said a source linked to the captors.

“They will not receive freedom, either through military means or through negotiations, until this demand is met.”

The warning came after the hostages’ families marked the first anniversary of the kidnapping with a fresh appeal last Thursday for their release.

Peter Moore, an IT consultant from Lincoln, and four unidentified men guarding him were seized from the finance ministry in Baghdad on May 29 last year.

The source confirmed that all five are “alive and well” despite a threat in December to kill one of them unless British troops were withdrawn from Iraq.

But he said negotiations with British officials had been suspended since late last year after it became clear that they could not secure the release of Qais al-Khazaali, a former chief spokesman for the Shi’ite Mahdi Army, who is held by US forces.

According to another source in Baghdad, the kidnappers responded to an appeal by Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, last month by sending a letter to an influential Iraqi government official.

It was intended to be passed to Canon Andrew White, the Anglican vicar of St George’s Church in Baghdad.

However, the source linked to the captors said they had since decided to halt dealings with White because they no longer trusted him to act as an independent intermediary.

The source urged the hostages’ relatives to consider the needs of the Iraqi prisoners’ families. “The kidnappers sympathise with the families of the captives but they also call on them to sympathise with the families of the men imprisoned by coalition forces,” he added.

He said the families should urge the British government to press America to release Khazaali and his associates.

Khazaali was detained after apparently masterminding a raid on a US base in which five Americans were killed. According to the source, Khazaali was in charge of a Mahdi Army special forces group known as Asa’ab Ahel al-Haq.

The source said Khazaali was not a murderer but had been “resisting occupiers” who had killed Iraqi civilians.

He dismissed reports that the hostages were being held in Iran. “We assure everyone that the five men are being held on Iraqi territory,” he said.

“Neither the Iranian government nor any Iranian group is or was linked with the hostage issue. They were not involved in the kidnapping, are not privy to the location and have no influence over any negotiations.”

Families appeal for release of hostages

A video released to al-Arabia in February showing British hostage Peter Moore

BBC Report featuring 1st hostage video

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