Australia urges hostage release

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has appealed for the release of an engineer held hostage by militants in Iraq, citing his poor health.

Mr Downer made the plea in an interview for the Arabic TV station al-Jazeera, saying that Douglas Wood, 63, wanted to be reunited with his family.

It came as an emergency team of officials and police from Canberra arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out talks with Mr Wood's captors.

The hostage, who is a resident of California, identified himself in a video released to journalists in Baghdad on Sunday.

Mr Wood's American wife says she is sure the man shown is her husband.

'Not a well man'

Mr Downer said Mr Wood had a serious heart condition and a problem with one of his eyes, adding that Australia was making a "very big effort" to get him out alive.

"Mr Wood is not a well man," he said. "He wants to be able to see his family again

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4511545.stm