Family relieved at hostage video

The Auckland family of hostage Harmeet Singh Sooden said today they were enormously relieved to see him looking in apparent good health on newly released video footage.

Mr Sooden's brother-in-law Mark Brewer said they were "pleased and relieved he is still alive but saddened the saga continues".

Mr Sooden, a Canadian citizen who lived and studied in Auckland, was captured in Baghdad along with Canadian James Loney, Norman Kember of Britain and American Tom Fox in November last year.

A group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigades claimed responsibility.

A video played on Al Jazeera television on Tuesday, dated February 28, showed Mr Sooden, Mr Loney and Mr Kember sitting in a room. They appeared in good health and were speaking to the camera, but their voices could not be heard.

It was the first news of the hostages since video footage of them in late January. The hostage takers said then that US-led forces had one last chance to free Iraqi prisoners or the men would be killed.

Mr Brewer said the footage showed Mr Sooden to be in good shape. "We are pleased about his condition. It shows he is being fed and watered."

He said it was hard to tell in a grainy video a few seconds long what level of stress Mr Sooden was under.

"Obviously anyone in that situation is going to be pretty stressed."

He said it was an absolute relief to see Mr Sooden was still alive. "But every time one of these tapes is released we hope it is actually a message he is going to be released. We are just waiting for that."

He said the family was powerless and there was very little they could do.

"It is just a waiting game and that is the most painful and most difficult part for the family."

He said the family had always said if any hostages were going to be released it would be those four because of the aid work they were doing.

"They are there to help the Iraqi people so hopefully that message has got through to the people who have them, loud and clear.

"They are obviously looking after them and probably trying to find ways to resolve this as much as we are."

Mr Brewer said the family may meet the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade later today.

- NZPA