Three Czech journalists missing in Iraq

The three Czech journalists who have been kidnapped by rebel Iraqi insurgents are alive and well and could be released as early as Wednesday, the Iraqi Culture Minister Mufid Jazairi said on Tuesday. Czech TV reporter Michal Kubal, his cameraman Petr Klima, and Czech Radio correspondent Vit Pohanka, have been missing since Sunday. Both Mr Kubal and Mr Klima where scheduled to catch a flight home from Jordan but never arrived in Prague. An Iraqi taxi driver has reported that he was on route to Amman, Jordan, with three Czech journalists when his vehicle was stopped by rebels west of the town of Falluja, and the three passengers were taken hostage.

Following a National Security Council meeting, Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda said that the Czech Foreign Ministry, Czech Embassy in Baghdad, as well as Mr Jazairi, who has personal ties with the Czech Republic, have been in constant contact with Iraqi officials. Several teams have also been investigating at the site where the abduction is believed to have taken place. A Czech military police force specially trained for hostage situations is waiting for orders to leave for Iraq. The Czech government is scheduled to discuss further security measures during its session on Wednesday.