UK hostage families plead with Iraqi kidnappers

LONDON (Reuters) - The families of five British men held hostage in Iraq since last May pleaded with their kidnappers on Friday to release them.

The Britons -- a computer instructor and his four bodyguards -- were seized by a Shi'ite militant group from inside an Iraqi Finance Ministry building in a raid in Baghdad.

In a televised appeal to the kidnappers, the stepmother of hostage Peter Moore said: "Please, show the world your true humanity and let our loved ones go."

"We are not involved in politics and we and our loved ones are not responsible for the actions of the British or American governments. But you are responsible for your actions," Pauline Sweeney said.

Video footage of one of the captives was aired on Tuesday by Al Arabiya television, which said the captive called for the release of nine Iraqis in return for their freedom.

The hostage, who said in the video that his name was Peter, appeared tired but not distressed. He had a scraggly beard and wore what appeared to be a white and black track suit.