BAGHDAD, Iraq – Al-Jazeera (search) television aired a videotape Thursday showing what the station said was an American contractor of Lebanese origin held hostage in Iraq.
The balding, middle-aged man, who carried a U.S. passport and an identification card in the name of Dean Sadek (search), was shown sitting in front of a green wall. Al-Jazeera did not air any audio but quoted Sadek as saying all businesses should stop cooperating with U.S. authorities.
The kidnapping was claimed in the name of the 1920 Revolution Brigade (search), a known insurgent group, the television station said. The name refers to the uprising against the British after World War I.
It was unclear when Sadek or where was kidnapped. Last week, the Interior Ministry said a Lebanese-American was seized by armed men from his home in the city's Mansour district but gave the name as Radim Sadeq.
It could not be determined if he was the same person shown Thursday.
The passport and identification card were visible in the videotape.
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