Militants: scribes will be exchanged for jailed US Muslims

An unknown militant group demanded the release of Muslim prisoners in US jails within 72 hours in exchange for two kidnapped Fox News journalists...

An unknown militant group demanded the release of Muslim prisoners in US jails within 72 hours in exchange for two kidnapped Fox News journalists, who were shown sitting cross-legged and barefoot on the floor in a video released on Wednesday.

The video, which broke 10 days of silence from the kidnappers, marked the first time militants in Gaza have issued demands going beyond the conflict with Israel. The footage also had none of the trappings of locally produced videos, such as flags or masked gunmen, raising the possibility that foreign militants may be involved.

In the footage, American correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, of Washington DC, and cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, of New Zealand appealed for help in getting released.

The images of the men sitting in a dark, drab room were the first sign of the journalists since they were abducted on August 14 from their TV van in Gaza City.

8220;Our captors are treating us well,8217;8217; Centanni said.

In a statement attached to the video, a group calling itself the Holy Jihad Brigades railed against the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and characterised them as a war against Islam. It made no demands of Israel.

Major Palestinian groups, including Hamas, have all condemned the kidnapping and called for the journalists8217; release.

In a statement, the kidnappers said: 8220;We are going to exchange the female and male Muslim prisoners in American jails for the prisoners that we have. We are going to give you 72 hours, beginning midnight tonight, to make your decision. If you implement and meet our condition, we will fulfil our promise.8217;8217;

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In Washington, the State Department said it would not accede to the demands.

8220;We don8217;t make concessions to terrorists, and we continue to call for the release of these journalists without conditions,8217;8217; State Department press officer Gonzalo Gallegos said.

Peter Ridder, a New Zealand diplomat sent to oversee efforts to release Wiig, said: 8220;The New Zealand policy is exactly the same as that of the United States, we will not negotiate with terrorists or militant groups like this.8217;8217;

8211;IBRAHIM BARZAK