Kidnapped Iraq bishop alive, ransom demanded - agency

VATICAN CITY - The Iraqi Catholic archbishop of Mosul who was kidnapped at gunpoint is alive and his captors have asked for a US$200,000 ransom, a well-informed Italian missionary agency reported on Tuesday.

The Misna agency said its information came from a priest in Mosul who had spoken to kidnapped Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa by telephone.

"The group ... this morning asked for a ransom of US$200,000," Misna, which is considered very authoritative, quoted the other bishop of Mosul, Paulos Faraj Rahho, as telling them by phone.

He said the kidnappers had used the abducted bishop's mobile phone to call a local priest, Father Tetrus Mosei.

They demanded the ransom and let the abducted archbishop speak to Mosei. Casmoussa told the priest he was in good condition, Misna reported.

Misna did not say which group had kidnapped Casmoussa.

The Vatican announced the kidnapping on Monday night and demanded the immediate release of the archbishop.

"The Holy See deplores this act of terrorism in the firmest manner and demands that the worthy pastor is swiftly freed unharmed to continue to carry out his ministry," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.

Casmoussa, 66, was believed to be the highest ranking Catholic prelate to be abducted in Iraq, where the local church has been the target of a bombing campaign aimed at intimidating the tiny Christian minority.

- REUTERS