Relatives of kidnapped British peace activist Norman Kember and three colleagues are praying for their release as the deadline approaches. A group calling itself Swords of Truth says the men, abducted in Baghdad on 26 November, will be killed if all prisoners in Iraq are not freed.

Mr Kember, 74, who was shown in a video blindfolded and shackled, is being held with two Canadians and an American. Senior Muslim leaders around the world have called for their release.

Mr Kember, American Tom Fox, 54, and Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, had travelled to Iraq as a "gesture of solidarity" with Canada-based international peace group Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT). The group denies the men are spies.

'Principle of mercy'

Several Sunni clerics called for the release of the four men during Friday prayers at mosques across Iraq.

Ahmed Hassan Taha told worshippers in the predominantly Sunni Azamiyah district of Baghdad: "We ask those who have authority and power to do their best to release the four European people who work in Christian peace organisation. In fact those activists were the first who condemned the war on Iraq." His words were echoed by terror suspect Abu Qatada, who filmed his plea from Full Sutton jail, near York in northern England. The tape was then broadcast in the Middle East.

Abu Qatada, accused by a Spanish judge of being al-Qaeda's ambassador in Europe, said: "I urge my brothers in the Brigades of Swords of Right in Iraq to release them in line with the principle of mercy of our religion, if there was no compelling religious duty against it." The head of the world's oldest Islamic movement also made a personal appeal to the kidnappers.

Mohammed Mahdi Akef, president of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood - which is officially banned - said Mr Kember and three other hostages were being held against Islam's principles. He said: "Islam rejects the kidnapping of innocent people regardless of their aim, beliefs and opinion."

'Distort image'

Mr Akef said the hostages were from a group which worked with Palestinian people "against Israeli aggression" and should be welcomed. "Kidnapping will only distort the image of Iraq," he said. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has also called for the kidnappers to make contact with UK officials.

Mr Kember - who was shown in a video wearing an Guantanamo Bay-style orange jumpsuit - said on video he was a "friend of Iraq". He said: "I have been opposed to this war, Mr Blair's war, since the very beginning but I ask him now, and the British government, to do all that they can to work for my release and the release of the Iraqi people from oppression."

Terry Waite, who was taken hostage in Beirut 1987 and held for five years, made "a plea for the release of this man". "I applaud his bravery, I applaud his desire for peace," he said. But he criticised Mr Kember for going into a "highly polarised" situation in Iraq.

| BBC |

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