Five Britons kidnapped in Baghdad, UK says; Declines to comment on reports abductees are security 'contractors'

Above: Security 'contractors' in Iraq in December. Among the major players, Britain's Aegis is the largest supplier from the UK, stating publicly that it has 'about 1200' personnel in country.

Britain confirmed on Tuesday that five British nationals had been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital.

Gunmen in police uniforms earlier abducted a group of Westerners from a government building in Baghdad.

"I can confirm that a group of five British nationals were abducted this morning at 0850 UK time, which is 1150 local time, in an incident at the Finance Ministry in central Baghdad," a Foreign Office spokesman told Reuters.

"Officials from the British embassy in Baghdad are in urgent contact with the Iraqi authorities to establish the facts and to try to secure a swift resolution."

Consular officials from the Foreign Office are in contact with the companies that employ the five and their families will be informed, the spokesman said.

"At this stage we can't confirm any personal details," he added, declining to comment on reports that several of the Britons were security contractors.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

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