Five British hostages who were seized in Baghdad more than a year ago are still alive, Iraq's most senior security official believes.

Mowaffak al-Rubai'e told the BBC: "We have a very good, strong intelligence telling us they are alive and we roughly know the area where they are.

"But we don't want to be aggressive in our approach, not to risk their lives."

Armed militants seized the men - a computer expert and four guards - at Iraq's Ministry of Finance in May 2007.

One of them has been named as IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, who was working for Bearingpoint, an American management consultancy.

The other four men, who were employed by a security firm to guard Mr Moore, have not been officially identified.

Mr al-Rubai'e was speaking after a visit by a senior Anglican churchman, who appealed for the men to be freed for the sake of their families.

'Show mercy'

The Right Reverend Michael Lewis made his first visit to Baghdad, which is included in his diocese.

He did not go specifically to seek the hostages' release, but met senior religious and political figures including Mr al-Rabai'e and Ayatollah Hussain Sadr, cousin of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.

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British hostages 'alive' in Iraq
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Five British hostages who were seized in Baghdad more than a year ago are still alive, Iraq's most senior security official believes. Mowaffak...

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Last update: Saturday Jun, 21 2008 4:44:03 pm MST