Brown in talks with Iraqi PM over hostages

GORDON Brown held talks with Nouri Maliki, his Iraqi counterpart, yesterday as efforts to free five British hostages continued.

The prime ministers discussed the plight of the men – who have now been held captive for more than six months – at a meeting in Downing Street.

They also considered progress with reconciling ethnic groups in Iraq, and rebuilding the country's shattered economy.

Mr Brown has previously demanded the release of the hostages, who have not been named.

In a video which emerged on 5 December, the captors threatened to kill the men unless British troops were pulled out of Iraq.

The group were seized by a crowd of about 40 gunmen dressed in police uniforms at the Iraqi Finance Ministry in Baghdad on 29 May.