Thursday 03 June 2004, 2:01 Makka Time, 23:01 GMT
Aljazeera has aired a tape of three Italian hostages held hostage in Iraq.
The tape which aired on Wednesday was made on 31 May, according to the station.
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"Today is Monday, May 31, 2004. We tell the government, the Pope, the Catholic church and our families that we have been treated in an excellent manner up to now and we are well," the channel quoted one of the Italians as saying as he pointed to his colleagues.
<snip>
Aljazeera also showed an Arabic-language statement by the kidnappers, calling itself the Green Battalion, urging Italian people to demonstrate against the policies of US President George Bush and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/040DA4D0-F818-402C-BC4D-12EB6006B068.htm